What Is the Percent Off Calculator?
This calculator tells you the discount percentage when you already know the original price and the final sale price of an item. Instead of guessing how good a deal really is, you enter both numbers and instantly get the exact percent off plus the amount of money saved. It works for any currency because the result is a pure ratio.
How to Use It
Enter the original (full) price of the item and the discounted sale price you actually pay. Click calculate and you will see the percent off as a percentage, along with the amount saved. This is handy for verifying advertised discounts, comparing two offers, or working out the true savings on a clearance item.
The Formula Explained
The percent off is the difference between the two prices divided by the original price, expressed as a percentage:
$$\text{Percent Off} = \frac{\text{Original} - \text{Sale}}{\text{Original}} \times 100$$
The numerator (Original \(-\) Sale) is the absolute amount you save. Dividing by the original price scales that saving relative to what you would have paid, and multiplying by 100 turns the ratio into a percentage.
Worked Example
Suppose a jacket originally costs 120 and is on sale for 90. The amount saved is \(120 - 90 = 30\). The percent off is $$(30 \div 120) \times 100 = 25\%.$$ So the jacket is 25% off and you save 30.
FAQ
What if the sale price is higher than the original? The result becomes negative, indicating a price increase rather than a discount.
Does this include tax? No. Enter pre-tax or post-tax prices consistently; the percentage is the same either way as long as both prices are on the same basis.
What if the original price is zero? Percent off is undefined when the original price is zero, so the calculator returns 0 to avoid dividing by zero.
