🧾 VAT & GST Calculator

Add tax to a net price, or extract the tax already inside a gross price.

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How VAT and GST are calculated

Adding tax to a net price

tax = net × rate ÷ 100

1,000 net at 5% → 50 tax → 1,050 gross.

Removing tax from a gross price — the one people get wrong

You cannot simply take the percentage off a gross figure. To strip 5% tax out of 1,050, subtracting 5% gives 997.50, which is wrong. The correct formula divides:

net = gross ÷ (1 + rate ÷ 100)

1,050 ÷ 1.05 = 1,000 net, so the tax is 50. The error grows with the rate: at 20% the naive method understates the net price by 4%.

VAT, GST and sales tax are not quite the same thing

TypeHow it worksWhere
VATCharged at each stage; businesses reclaim input tax so only the end consumer bears itEU, UK, GCC, most of Africa and Latin America
GSTMechanically the same as VAT, different name; India splits it into CGST/SGST/IGSTIndia, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore
Sales taxCharged only at final sale, no input reclaim; rates stack by state and cityUnited States

US sales tax is not included in the preset list because there is no national rate — the combined state and local rate varies by address, from zero in several states to over 10% in parts of Louisiana and Tennessee.

Reduced and zero rates

The presets are standard rates. Most countries apply reduced rates to food, medicine, books, children's clothing and transport, and zero-rate exports. India's GST runs in slabs of 0, 5, 12, 18 and 28%. Always confirm which rate applies to the specific goods or service.

Frequently asked questions

How do I remove VAT from a total?

Divide the gross amount by 1 plus the rate as a decimal. To remove 20% VAT, divide by 1.20. Do not subtract 20% from the gross figure — that gives the wrong answer.

What is the difference between VAT and GST?

Very little in mechanism. Both are value-added taxes collected in stages with input-tax recovery for businesses. The name differs by country, and India's GST is split into central and state components.

Why is US sales tax not in the list?

Because the US has no national rate. Sales tax is set by states, counties and cities, so the combined rate depends on the delivery address. Five states levy no state sales tax at all.

Which rate applies to my product?

The standard rate unless your product is in a reduced, zero-rated or exempt category — commonly food, medicine, books, education and healthcare. Check your tax authority's schedule; the categories are specific and often counter-intuitive.

Is the tax on the discounted price or the original?

On the price actually charged, after discount. If you discount 1,000 to 900, tax is calculated on 900.

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General calculation tool, not tax advice. Rates shown are standard rates and change over time; reduced and exempt categories apply. Confirm with your tax authority.