Percentage calculator

Percentage Profit Calculator

Calculate profit amount and profit percentage from cost and revenue. Use the profit formula to measure business returns and compare profit percentage with profit margin and markup.

Last updated August 24, 2026

Calculate percentage profit

Enter the cost and revenue to find the profit amount and profit percentage.

How this calculator works

Profit is the amount left after subtracting the cost from the revenue. Profit percentage measures that profit relative to the cost: ((Revenue - Cost) / Cost) * 100. It answers the question "For every dollar I spent, how many cents of profit did I make?"

Profit percentage is different from profit margin. Profit margin divides profit by revenue, not cost. For example, buying for $40 and selling for $60 gives a $20 profit. That is 50% profit (20 / 40 * 100) but only 33.33% margin (20 / 60 * 100). Markup is also different: markup is the percentage added to cost to get the selling price. A 50% markup on $40 gives a $60 selling price, but the profit margin on that sale is 33.33%, not 50%.

Methodology

The calculator subtracts the cost from the revenue to find the profit amount, then divides by the cost and multiplies by 100 to find the profit percentage. The cost cannot be zero.

Examples

  • Buying a product for $40 and selling it for $60 gives a $20 profit, which is 50% profit: (60 - 40) / 40 * 100 = 50%.
  • Buying for $100 and selling for $150 gives a $50 profit, which is 50% profit: (150 - 100) / 100 * 100 = 50%.
  • Buying for $80 and selling for $100 gives a $20 profit, which is 25% profit: (100 - 80) / 80 * 100 = 25%.
  • A consulting project costing $2,000 in time and sold for $3,200 gives a $1,200 profit, which is 60% profit: (3,200 - 2,000) / 2,000 * 100 = 60%.

Common questions

How do I calculate profit percentage?

Subtract the cost from the revenue to find the profit, divide by the cost, and multiply by 100. For example, if you buy for $50 and sell for $80: (80 - 50) / 50 * 100 = 60%.

What is the difference between profit percentage and profit margin?

Profit percentage divides profit by cost. Profit margin divides profit by revenue. The same sale can have very different profit percentage and margin values.

What is the difference between profit percentage and markup?

Profit percentage is profit divided by cost. Markup is the percentage added to cost to get the selling price. They are related but not the same. A 50% markup gives a selling price of cost * 1.50, but the profit percentage on that sale may differ.

How do I find the selling price for a desired profit percentage?

Multiply the cost by (1 + desired profit percentage / 100). For example, a 40% profit on $100 requires selling at 100 * 1.40 = $140.

Can profit percentage exceed 100%?

Yes. If the revenue is more than double the cost, the profit percentage exceeds 100%. For example, buying for $30 and selling for $70 gives a 133.33% profit.

Why is profit percentage based on cost, not revenue?

Profit percentage based on cost shows the return on your investment. It tells you how much profit you earned relative to what you spent, which is useful for pricing and investment decisions.