Markup Calculator
Find selling price from cost and markup, reverse-engineer markup from a sticker price, or solve for cost. Includes an optional marketplace fee adjustment for eBay and Amazon sellers.
Calculate your markup
Results
- Cost$20.00
- Markup %50.00%
- Selling price$30.00
- Net after fees—
- Price to keep same profit—
Markup formula
Three related formulas cover the common pricing directions sellers need. All three treat markup as a decimal in the algebra (50% = 0.50) and as a percent in the UI.
- Selling price from cost and markup: selling price = cost × (1 + markup). Variables: cost is your landed product cost; markup is the fraction you add on top of cost.
- Markup from cost and price: markup % = (price − cost) ÷ cost × 100. Profit dollars = price − cost.
- Cost from price and markup: cost = price ÷ (1 + markup). Useful when a channel or MAP rule fixes the sticker and you need the maximum cost you can pay.
Margin always uses selling price as the base: margin = profit ÷ price. The identity that links the two rates is margin = markup ÷ (1 + markup). Example: 50% markup → 33.33% margin. To hit a target margin instead, rearrange to markup = margin ÷ (1 − margin). Example: 30% margin → about 42.86% markup.
Markup vs margin: what's the difference
Markup answers “how much did I add on top of cost?” Margin answers “what share of the selling price is profit?” Because the denominators differ, a markup percent is always larger than the matching margin percent for the same sale.
Do not paste a markup number into a margin target without converting. A 40% markup is a 28.57% margin; calling both “40%” underprices the item if your finance sheet tracks margin.
| Cost | Price | Profit | Markup | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $120 | $20 | 20% | 16.67% |
| $100 | $130 | $30 | 30% | 23.08% |
| $100 | $150 | $50 | 50% | 33.33% |
| $100 | $175 | $75 | 75% | 42.86% |
| $100 | $200 | $100 | 100% | 50% |
Markup conversion table
Use this chart when a buyer, brand, or spreadsheet quotes one rate and you need the other. Values run from 10% to 100% markup in 5% steps.
| Markup % | Margin % | Multiplier on cost |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | 9.09% | 1.10× |
| 15% | 13.04% | 1.15× |
| 20% | 16.67% | 1.20× |
| 25% | 20.00% | 1.25× |
| 30% | 23.08% | 1.30× |
| 35% | 25.93% | 1.35× |
| 40% | 28.57% | 1.40× |
| 45% | 31.03% | 1.45× |
| 50% | 33.33% | 1.50× |
| 55% | 35.48% | 1.55× |
| 60% | 37.50% | 1.60× |
| 65% | 39.39% | 1.65× |
| 70% | 41.18% | 1.70× |
| 75% | 42.86% | 1.75× |
| 80% | 44.44% | 1.80× |
| 85% | 45.95% | 1.85× |
| 90% | 47.37% | 1.90× |
| 95% | 48.72% | 1.95× |
| 100% | 50.00% | 2.00× |
Fee-adjusted markup for eBay and Amazon sellers
A clean 50% markup on cost can shrink after marketplace fees. If you list at $30 on a $20 cost and the channel takes about 13% of the sale, net proceeds are roughly $26.10 before your shipping cost. Profit falls from $10 to about $6.10 unless you raise the sticker.
To keep the original $10 profit after a 13% fee, solve new price = (cost + target profit) ÷ (1 − fee rate) = 30 ÷ 0.87 ≈ $34.48. That is the fee-adjusted selling price this calculator’s fee toggle estimates. The 13% default is a common eBay-style planning rate; Amazon referral fees and eBay category tiers differ, and actual rates change.
When you already have a sold price and need take-home after eBay fees (final value, per-order, optional promoted ads), use the homepage eBay fee calculator instead of this markup page. This page sets price from cost and markup; the homepage estimates what you keep after marketplace fees on a completed sale.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Retail restock: cost $8, 60% markup
A restock item costs $8.00 and you apply a 60% markup. Selling price = 8 × 1.60 = $12.80. Profit = 12.80 − 8.00 = $4.80. Margin = 4.80 ÷ 12.80 = 37.50%.
Example 2 — eBay seller: cost $20, 50% markup, 13% fees
Cost $20 with a 50% markup sets a sticker of $30.00, profit $10.00, and margin 33.33%. After a common eBay-style 13% marketplace fee (rates change), net after fees = 30 × 0.87 = $26.10. To keep the original $10 profit, new selling price = (20 + 10) ÷ 0.87 ≈ $34.48.
Example 3 — Need 30% margin on a service quote
Target margin 30% means markup = 0.30 ÷ 0.70 ≈ 42.86%. On a $70 cost, price ≈ 70 × 1.4286 = $100.00. Profit $30 is 30% of price and about 42.86% of cost.
FAQ
How do you calculate markup?
Divide the difference between selling price and cost by the cost, then multiply by 100. Markup % = (price − cost) ÷ cost × 100. Example: cost $20 and price $30 is a 50% markup. Selling price from a known markup is cost × (1 + markup).
What does a 30% markup mean?
A 30% markup means you add 30% of cost on top of cost. A $40 wholesale item priced at 30% markup sells for $52. Profit is $12 before fees. Margin on that sale is about 23.08%, because margin uses selling price as the base, not cost.
What's the difference between markup and margin?
Markup is profit divided by cost. Margin is profit divided by selling price. The same dollar profit looks larger as markup than as margin. Convert with margin = markup ÷ (1 + markup). A 50% markup equals a 33.33% margin. Mixing the two labels without converting is a common reason quotes and finance sheets disagree.
What is a good markup percentage?
It depends on category, competition, and fees. Many retail SKUs land between 30% and 100% markup before marketplace fees. After eBay or Amazon take a cut, the net margin can fall by several points, so sellers often raise sticker price to protect the same dollar profit.
Is markup calculated on cost or selling price?
Markup is calculated on cost. Margin is calculated on selling price. If someone says “we need 40%,” ask which base they mean—cost-based markup and price-based margin are not interchangeable. Confirm the base before you change a sticker or rewrite a spreadsheet formula.
How do I include eBay fees in my markup?
First set cost and target markup to get a pre-fee price and profit. Then apply a fee rate (a common eBay-style default is about 13%, but live rates change) to see net after fees. To keep the same dollar profit, raise price to (cost + target profit) ÷ (1 − fee rate). Use the eBay fee calculator on the homepage for a take-home estimate from a sold price.