Markup Calculator

Calculate the selling price from a cost and markup percentage — and see the profit and profit margin. Essential for retail, e-commerce, and any business pricing products or services.

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Markup Calculator

Cost → price, profit & margin

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Markup
Cost vs Profit

Markup vs Margin

Markup is how much you add to the cost of a product to set its selling price, expressed as a percentage of cost. Selling price = cost × (1 + markup%). A $50 item with a 40% markup sells for $70, giving a $20 profit. Markup and margin are often confused: markup is profit as a percentage of cost, while margin is profit as a percentage of the selling price. The same $20 profit on a $70 sale is a 40% markup but a 28.6% margin.

Understanding both is essential for pricing. Retailers typically think in markup when setting prices from supplier cost, but report profitability in margin. This calculator shows both so you can price confidently and compare to industry benchmarks — grocery markups run low (10–15%), while restaurants, jewelry, and apparel often use 50–300% markups to cover overhead.

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Markup Formula

Price = Cost × (1 + Markup%). Profit = Price − Cost. A 40% markup on $50 = $70 price, $20 profit.

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Markup ≠ Margin

Markup is % of cost; margin is % of selling price. 40% markup equals a 28.6% margin — never the same number.

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Typical Markups

Grocery 10–15%, apparel 100%+, restaurants 200–300% on food cost, jewelry up to 300%. Set yours to cover overhead and profit.

FAQ

Markup is profit expressed as a percentage of cost; margin is profit as a percentage of the selling price. For a $50 cost sold at $70, the $20 profit is a 40% markup ($20 ÷ $50) but a 28.6% margin ($20 ÷ $70). Margin can never exceed 100%, but markup can.
Multiply the cost by (1 + markup as a decimal). For a 40% markup on a $50 cost: $50 × 1.40 = $70. The profit is the difference, $20. This calculator computes the price, profit, margin, and markup all at once.
It depends entirely on your industry and overhead. Grocery and electronics run thin markups (10–15%), while restaurants, apparel, and jewelry use much higher markups (100–300%) to cover labor, rent, and waste. The right markup is the one that covers all your costs and leaves your target profit.

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✔ Reviewed by the True Value Calc editorial team🗓 Last updated June 2026📚 Sources: Peer-reviewed formulas & official U.S. government data