Discount Calculator
Find the sale price after a percentage off, calculate exactly how much you save, or work backwards to discover what discount percentage a sale price represents.
All calculations happen in your browser. No data is sent anywhere.
Find Sale Price
Enter the original price and the discount percentage to find out what you actually pay.
Results
| Sale Price | — |
|---|---|
| You Save | — |
| Discount Applied | — |
Find Discount %
Know the original and sale price? Calculate what percentage off the item is and the exact dollar savings.
Results
| Discount % | — |
|---|---|
| Amount Saved | — |
| Original Price | — |
Bulk Discount Reference
Quick-reference table: multiply any price by the factor in the right column to get the sale price instantly.
| Discount | Price Multiplier | You Pay |
|---|---|---|
| 5% off | × 0.95 | 95% of original |
| 10% off | × 0.90 | 90% of original |
| 15% off | × 0.85 | 85% of original |
| 20% off | × 0.80 | 80% of original |
| 25% off | × 0.75 | 75% of original |
| 30% off | × 0.70 | 70% of original |
| 40% off | × 0.60 | 60% of original |
| 50% off | × 0.50 | 50% of original |
Understanding Discounts
How discount math works
A discount percentage tells you what fraction of the original price is being removed. The sale price is simply the original multiplied by the complement of the discount:
Sale Price = Original × (1 − Discount% / 100)
For example, 30% off $200: $200 × (1 − 0.30) = $200 × 0.70 = $140. Your savings are always Original − Sale Price.
- Multiplier shortcut — memorize the Bulk Discounts table to do mental math quickly.
- Dollar savings — always compare the raw dollar amount, not just the percentage.
- Percentage off vs. percentage saved — they are the same thing, just different phrasing.
Stacking discounts
When two discounts apply in sequence, they do not add together. Each one applies to the price remaining after the previous discount.
Example: 20% off, then an extra 10% off a $100 item:
$100 × 0.80 = $80 → $80 × 0.90 = $72
The effective combined discount is 28%, not 30%. This is why retailers love to advertise "extra 10% off sale prices" — the math sounds better than it is.
- Apply each discount one at a time, left to right.
- Use Tab 1 twice: first with the original price, then with the result.
Sale vs. clearance pricing
Sale items are temporarily reduced and usually return to full price. Clearance items are being discontinued — the store wants them gone and the price reflects that urgency.
Clearance discounts are often deeper (40–70%+) but the selection is limited, sizes may be missing, and return policies can be stricter. Always check the actual discounted price rather than relying on the stated percentage — "original" prices are sometimes inflated before a sale.
- Compare prices across multiple retailers before assuming a deal is real.
- Price-tracking browser extensions can show historical price data.
Combining a coupon with a sale
When you have both a store sale and a coupon code, the order of application matters — and retailers specify which applies first.
Most commonly, the coupon applies to the already-reduced sale price (stack after the sale discount). Occasionally, a coupon applies to the original price before the sale discount is taken. Read the fine print.
- If the coupon is "X% off," treat it as a second sequential discount.
- If the coupon is "$X off," subtract it from the post-sale price.
- Use Tab 1 repeatedly to model each step of the discount chain.
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How do you calculate a discount?
Multiply the original price by (1 − discount% / 100). For 25% off an $80 item: $80 × 0.75 = $60. Your savings are $80 − $60 = $20. Use the "Find Sale Price" tab above to do this instantly.
What is 20% off $50?
$50 × (1 − 0.20) = $50 × 0.80 = $40. You pay $40 and save $10.
How do I find what percentage off a sale price is?
Use: Discount % = ((Original − Sale) / Original) × 100. If an item originally cost $120 and is on sale for $90: ((120 − 90) / 120) × 100 = 25% off. Use the "Find Discount %" tab to calculate it automatically.
What is a good tip for shopping sales?
Always look at the dollar savings, not just the percentage. A 50% discount on a $10 item saves you $5; a 10% discount on a $200 item saves you $20. Also verify the "original" price is genuine — some retailers temporarily inflate prices before marking them down.
How do I apply multiple discounts in a row?
Apply each discount sequentially, not additively. For 20% off then 10% off a $100 item: $100 × 0.80 = $80, then $80 × 0.90 = $72. The effective combined discount is 28%, not 30%. Use Tab 1 twice to model the steps.