Discount Calculator
See exactly what a sale price will be and how much you'll save. Supports an optional second (stacked) discount like "extra 20% off clearance."
How discounts are calculated
The formula is straightforward: sale price = original price × (1 − discount ÷ 100). A $60 jacket at 30% off costs 60 × 0.70 = $42, saving you $18.
Stacked discounts don't add up — they multiply
"30% off, plus an extra 20% off at checkout" is not 50% off. The second discount applies to the already-reduced price:
$60 → 30% off → $42 → extra 20% off → $33.60. That's an effective total discount of 44%, not 50%. Retailers rely on shoppers overestimating stacked deals — this calculator shows the true combined percentage.
Common discount shortcuts
| Discount | Mental shortcut | $80 item becomes |
|---|---|---|
| 10% off | Take off one decimal place | $72 |
| 25% off | Quarter off — divide by 4, subtract | $60 |
| 50% off | Half price | $40 |
| 70% off | You pay 30% — multiply by 0.3 | $24 |
Tip: instead of computing what comes off, compute what you pay. "40% off" simply means "pay 60%," and multiplying by 0.6 is one step.
Watch out for these sale tricks
- Inflated "original" prices: a 50% discount from a price nobody ever paid isn't a deal. Check price history when shopping online.
- "Up to X% off": usually only a few items hit the headline number.
- Percentage vs. dollar coupons: on a $25 purchase, "$10 off" beats "30% off" ($7.50). On $50, the 30% wins. Run both through the calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find the original price from a sale price?
Divide by what you paid as a fraction. If $42 was 30% off, the original was 42 ÷ 0.70 = $60.
Is tax applied before or after the discount?
In the US, sales tax is charged on the discounted price you actually pay (for store discounts). Manufacturer coupons can differ by state.
What's the difference between a discount and a markdown?
They compute the same way — "markdown" is the retailer-side term for a permanent price reduction, while a discount is often temporary or conditional.