Profit Loss Calculator
Work out your profit or loss in seconds. Enter your cost price, selling price, and quantity to see your margin, markup, and total return instantly.
Calculate Your Profit or Loss
Enter your cost price, selling price, and the quantity sold below to instantly work out your profit or loss, profit margin, and markup.
Sale Details
Adjust the sliders or type exact figures
Your Results
Updates automatically as you adjust the details
Margin vs Markup
Example figures for a £10 cost price at different selling prices, showing how margin and markup diverge.
| Selling Price | Profit per Unit | Profit Margin | Markup |
|---|---|---|---|
| £12.00 | £2.00 | 16.67% | 20.00% |
| £15.00 | £5.00 | 33.33% | 50.00% |
| £20.00 | £10.00 | 50.00% | 100.00% |
| £25.00 | £15.00 | 60.00% | 150.00% |
| £8.00 | -£2.00 | -25.00% | -20.00% |
Profit Loss Calculator FAQ
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about profit, loss, margin, and markup.
Profit or loss is calculated by subtracting the cost price from the selling price. If the result is positive, it is a profit; if it is negative, it is a loss. Multiplying this figure by the quantity sold gives the total profit or loss.
Profit margin expresses profit as a percentage of the selling price, showing how much of each sale is profit. Markup expresses profit as a percentage of the cost price, showing how much has been added on top of what the item cost. The two percentages are always different for the same sale.
A healthy profit margin varies widely by industry. Retail businesses often work with margins of around 20 to 50 percent, while service businesses can see much higher margins since they have lower cost of goods sold. Comparing your margin to others in your specific industry gives the most useful benchmark.
No, this calculator works out gross profit or loss based only on the cost price and selling price of an item. It does not account for overheads such as rent, wages, shipping, or marketing, which should be deducted separately to find your true net profit.