Profit & Loss Calculator
Compare cost and selling price to see profit or loss, margin and return.
Whether you're pricing a product, flipping an item, or reviewing a small trade, the core question is the same: did this make money, and how much relative to what it cost? Enter the cost price and the selling price and this calculator shows the profit or loss in cash, the percentage return on the cost, the return as a multiple, and the cost-to-sale ratio. It flags gains in green and losses in red so the outcome is obvious at a glance. Everything runs in your browser.
What each figure means
The calculations all key off the difference between the two prices:
Profit/Loss = SP − CP • Percentage = (SP − CP) ÷ CP × 100 • Return = SP ÷ CP
Buy at $200 and sell at $260 and you've made $60, a 30% return, or 1.30× your money, with a cost-to-sale ratio of 77%. The percentage is measured against the cost, which is the standard way to express markup. The return multiple restates the same result as "how many times the cost you got back," and the ratio shows what fraction of the sale price the cost consumed.
Margin on cost versus margin on sale
This tool expresses the percentage as a return on cost, which is how markup is usually quoted. Retail "profit margin," by contrast, is often stated as a percentage of the selling price, and that figure is always smaller for the same trade — a $60 gain is 30% of a $200 cost but only about 23% of a $260 sale. Knowing which base a percentage uses avoids confusion when comparing your result to a headline margin figure elsewhere. The descriptive rating shown is just a rough label, not a financial judgement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the percentage based on cost or selling price?
On the cost price. A $60 gain on a $200 cost shows as 30%. Retail margin is often quoted against the selling price instead, which gives a smaller number for the same trade.
What does the return multiple mean?
It restates the outcome as how many times your cost you received back. A 1.30× return means you got 1.3 times what you paid, i.e. your money plus 30%.
Does it account for fees or taxes?
No. It compares the raw cost and selling prices only. To include commissions, shipping, or tax, add them to your cost price or subtract them from your sale price before entering the figures.
Is anything I enter saved?
No. The calculation happens in your browser and nothing is uploaded or stored.