VAT Calculator
Add or remove VAT at any rate — get the net amount, the VAT and the gross total instantly.
To remove VAT, divide the gross by (1 + rate). To add it, multiply the net by (1 + rate).
This VAT calculator works in both directions. Enter a net (VAT-exclusive) figure to add VAT and get the gross price, or enter a gross (VAT-inclusive) figure to strip the VAT back out — the calculation most people get wrong. Removing 20% VAT from £120 is not £120 − 20%; it is £120 ÷ 1.20 = £100, with £20 of VAT.
Preset buttons cover the common European rates: 20% (UK standard), 19% (Germany), 21% (Netherlands, Spain, Belgium), 23% (Ireland, Poland), 25% (Scandinavia), plus reduced rates of 5%, 7.5% and 10%. You can also type any rate directly for local or sector-specific rates.
Handy for invoicing, expense claims, checking a supplier's figures and pricing decisions: remember that if you are VAT-registered, the VAT element is not your revenue — you are collecting it on behalf of the tax authority. All calculations run locally in your browser.
How to add VAT to a price
To add VAT, multiply the net (VAT-exclusive) amount by 1 plus the rate. At the UK standard rate of 20% that means multiplying by 1.20; at 5% it is 1.05. So £100 plus VAT is £120, and £100 plus 5% VAT is £105. The VAT element on its own is simply the net amount times the rate: £100 × 0.20 = £20.
This is the calculation you need when you are quoting or invoicing a VAT-exclusive price and have to show the gross total the customer actually pays.
How to remove VAT from a gross price
To remove VAT from a VAT-inclusive figure, divide by 1 plus the rate — never subtract the percentage. £1,000 including VAT at 20% is £833.33 net with £166.67 of VAT, because 1000 ÷ 1.20 = 833.33. Subtracting 20% would wrongly give £800.
The same rule covers the "less VAT" searches: £4,000 less VAT at 20% is £3,333.33 net, and £150 including VAT is £125 net with £25 of VAT.
VAT worked examples at 5% and 20%
Common amounts, calculated both ways. The left half adds VAT to a net figure; the right half strips VAT out of a gross figure.
| Amount | +20% VAT | +5% VAT | Net if incl. 20% | VAT in that 20% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100.00 | 120.00 | 105.00 | 83.33 | 16.67 |
| 140.00 | 168.00 | 147.00 | 116.67 | 23.33 |
| 150.00 | 180.00 | 157.50 | 125.00 | 25.00 |
| 250.00 | 300.00 | 262.50 | 208.33 | 41.67 |
| 300.00 | 360.00 | 315.00 | 250.00 | 50.00 |
| 500.00 | 600.00 | 525.00 | 416.67 | 83.33 |
| 1,000.00 | 1,200.00 | 1,050.00 | 833.33 | 166.67 |
| 2,000.00 | 2,400.00 | 2,100.00 | 1,666.67 | 333.33 |
| 4,000.00 | 4,800.00 | 4,200.00 | 3,333.33 | 666.67 |
VAT rates by country
Standard rates differ by country, so always confirm the rate that applies to your sale before invoicing. Common standard rates: United Kingdom 20%, Germany 19%, France 20%, Spain 21%, Netherlands 21%, Belgium 21%, Italy 22%, Ireland 23%, Poland 23%, Sweden, Denmark and Norway 25%. Reduced rates of 5%, 7.5%, 9% and 10% apply to categories such as energy, food, books and some building work.
Type any figure into the rate box above — the calculator is not limited to the preset buttons, so it works for sales tax and GST percentages too.