Discount Calculator
Calculate sale prices and savings. Original price, discount percentage, final price.
Free · Runs in your browser · No signup
Examples to try
Formulas
Savings = price × (percent/100) · Sale price = price − savings
Common mistakes
- Stacking two discounts incorrectly (20% then 10% ≠ 30% off).
- Forgetting tax is often applied after the discount.
- Comparing “% off” stickers without the original price.
Scope: Single-discount math for shopping and homework. See also percentage helper and sales tax.
How to Use
Enter your values in the fields above and click Calculate to get instant results. All computations run locally in your browser. No data is ever uploaded or stored.
Related Calculators
Discount & Final-Price Formula
A percentage discount is applied to the original price to produce the savings amount and the final sale price. Multiple discounts apply sequentially, not additively.
Savings = original price × (discount % / 100)
Final price = original price − savings
"40% off then an extra 20% off" is not 60% off — it's 1 − (0.60 × 0.80) = 52% off. The second discount applies to the already-reduced price.
Quick Discount Lookup Table
10% off $100 = $90 (save $10) · 20% off = $80 (save $20)
25% off = $75 (save $25) · 30% off = $70 (save $30)
33% off ≈ $67 (save ~$33) · 40% off = $60 (save $40)
50% off = $50 (save $50) · 60% off = $40 (save $60)
70% off = $30 (save $70) · 75% off = $25 (save $75)
Sales tax is typically applied to the discounted price, so total savings are slightly greater than the face discount suggests.
How Discount Calculations Work
A discount reduces the original price of an item by a specified percentage or fixed amount. The core formula for percentage discounts is: Savings = Original Price × (Discount % / 100), and Sale Price = Original Price − Savings. For a $150 item at 25% off: $150 × 0.25 = $37.50 savings, $150 − $37.50 = $112.50 sale price. CalcSolver's discount calculator handles this instantly and shows both the amount saved and the final price.
Types of Discounts
Percentage discounts reduce the price by a percentage (e.g., 20% off, 50% off). These are the most common type in retail. Fixed-amount discounts subtract a specific dollar amount (e.g., $10 off, $50 off). Fixed discounts are more valuable on cheaper items — $10 off a $20 item is 50%, while $10 off a $200 item is only 5%. Buy One Get One (BOGO) offers give a free or discounted second item. "BOGO free" effectively gives 50% off when buying two items. "BOGO 50% off" gives 25% off per item when buying two.
Stacking Discounts
When multiple discounts are offered, they apply sequentially — not additively. A common misconception is that "40% off plus 20% off" equals 60% off. In reality: $200 × (1 − 0.40) = $120 after the first discount, then $120 × (1 − 0.20) = $96 after the second. The actual total discount is 52%, not 60%. To calculate the effective rate of stacked discounts: Effective Discount = 1 − (1 − d₁)(1 − d₂)...(1 − dₙ). For 40% + 20%: 1 − (0.60 × 0.80) = 1 − 0.48 = 0.52 = 52%.
Finding the Original Price from a Sale Price
If you know the sale price and the discount percentage, you can reverse the calculation: Original Price = Sale Price / (1 − Discount / 100). If you paid $80 for an item marked 20% off: $80 / (1 − 0.20) = $80 / 0.80 = $100 original price. This is useful for comparing sale prices across stores when only the final price is shown.
Real-World Discount Examples
Holiday shopping: A $500 TV is advertised at 30% off during Black Friday. Savings: $500 × 0.30 = $150, sale price: $350. Adding 8% sales tax: $350 × 1.08 = $378. Combine with CalcSolver's sales tax calculator for the complete picture.
Stacked clearance + coupon: A jacket originally $120 is on clearance at 40% off, and you have an additional 15% coupon. First: $120 × 0.60 = $72. Then: $72 × 0.85 = $61.20. Total savings: $58.80 (49% effective discount).
BOGO comparison: Store A offers "BOGO free" on $30 shoes. Two pairs cost $30 total ($15 each). Store B offers 40% off the same shoes. Two pairs at Store B: $30 × 2 × 0.60 = $36 ($18 each). Store A's BOGO is the better deal in this case.
Seasonal Discount Patterns
Retail discounts follow predictable seasonal patterns. January: post-holiday clearance (50-80% off winter items). May-June: Memorial Day sales (20-40% off). July: Amazon Prime Day (varies). November: Black Friday and Cyber Monday (20-60% off electronics). December 26+: post-Christmas clearance. End-of-model-year sales (August-September for cars, September for appliances) offer deep discounts on outgoing models.
Comparison Shopping Tips
- Always calculate the actual dollar savings, not just the percentage — a "60% off" on a marked-up item may save less than "30% off" on a competitively priced one.
- Factor in sales tax and shipping when comparing online vs. in-store prices.
- Check the original price history (using browser extensions or price-tracking sites) to verify the "original price" isn't inflated.
- For stacked discounts, remember they multiply, not add — calculate the effective rate before deciding if the deal is worth it.
- Use CalcSolver's percentage calculator for quick percentage comparisons, and the sales tax calculator for final out-of-pocket costs.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate a discount?
Multiply the original price by the discount percentage and divide by 100 to get the savings. Subtract from the original price for the final price. Example: $80 with 30% off → $80 × 0.30 = $24 savings → $80 − $24 = $56.
How do I calculate stacked discounts?
Stacked discounts are applied sequentially, not added. A 20% discount followed by another 20% gives: $100 → $80 (first 20%) → $64 (second 20%). This is 36% total, not 40%. Use the formula: Effective Discount = 1 − (1 − d₁)(1 − d₂).
How do I find the original price from the sale price?
If you know the sale price and discount percentage: Original = Sale Price ÷ (1 − Discount/100). Example: $56 after 30% off → $56 ÷ 0.70 = $80 original.
What is the difference between a percentage discount and a fixed discount?
A percentage discount (e.g., 20% off) scales with the price — more savings on expensive items. A fixed discount (e.g., $10 off) saves the same amount regardless of price. Fixed discounts are more valuable on cheaper items, while percentage discounts save more on expensive ones.
How do BOGO offers compare to percentage discounts?
"Buy One Get One Free" is equivalent to 50% off when buying two items. "Buy One Get One 50% Off" is 25% off per item when buying two. To compare BOGO with a percentage discount, calculate the per-item cost under each offer and choose the lower one.
Should I calculate the discount or the sales tax first?
Always apply the discount first, then calculate sales tax on the discounted price. Tax is charged on what you actually pay, not the original price. Example: $100 item, 20% discount, 8% tax → $80 × 1.08 = $86.40, not $100 × 1.08 × 0.80. Use CalcSolver's sales tax calculator after applying the discount.