VAT Calculator
Add or remove VAT from any amount. Quick-select common rates and compare all VAT rates at once.
| VAT Rate | Net Amount | VAT Amount | Gross Amount |
|---|
Add or remove Value Added Tax from any price, and instantly compare the result across all common VAT rates worldwide.
How VAT Calculator Works
When adding VAT to a net (tax-exclusive) amount, the calculator applies Gross = Net × (1 + Rate/100). When removing VAT from a gross (tax-inclusive) amount — for example, working backward from a shelf price that already includes tax — it uses Net = Gross ÷ (1 + Rate/100), then finds the VAT amount as the difference between the two.
This distinction matters because VAT-inclusive and VAT-exclusive calculations are not simple mirror images of each other: removing 20% VAT from a $120 gross price does not mean subtracting 20% of $120, it means dividing by 1.20 to correctly back out the tax that was already built into the total.
The comparison table recalculates the same amount across eight common VAT rates (5% to 25%) at once, which is useful for comparing tax treatment across different countries or product categories without re-entering numbers.
See It In Action
Who Uses VAT Calculator and Why
- Working out how much VAT is embedded in a tax-inclusive shelf price to find the pre-tax net cost of an item.
- Adding the correct VAT amount to a quoted net price before invoicing an international client.
- Comparing what the same net price would cost across several different countries\' standard VAT rates.
- Checking a supplier\'s invoice to confirm the VAT amount charged matches the stated rate and net price.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Removing VAT by simply subtracting the rate percentage from a gross price — that\'s mathematically wrong; removing 20% VAT from a $120 gross price means dividing by 1.20, not subtracting 20% of $120, since the rate applies to the net amount, not the gross total.
- Mixing up which mode you\'re in — entering a tax-inclusive price into the "add VAT" calculation (or vice versa) produces a result that looks plausible but is actually wrong; double-check whether your starting number already includes tax.
- Assuming VAT works exactly like U.S. sales tax — VAT is typically already built into the displayed price and collected at each stage of production, unlike sales tax which is usually added on top at the register.
Tips for Best Results
- Use the multi-rate comparison table when pricing for customers in different countries, since standard VAT rates vary widely (commonly 20% in the UK and France, 23% in Portugal, and lower in some other jurisdictions).
- If you\'re VAT-registered and can reclaim VAT on business purchases, remember this calculator only computes the tax amount itself — it doesn\'t track reclaim eligibility or your net VAT position with the tax authority.
Fixing Common Problems
My VAT amount doesn\'t match what I calculated by hand. — Check whether you\'re working from a net or gross starting price — adding VAT uses Gross = Net × (1 + Rate/100), while removing VAT from a gross figure uses Net = Gross ÷ (1 + Rate/100); using the wrong direction is the most common source of mismatched numbers.
Terms Explained
Net (tax-exclusive) amount: A price before VAT has been added.
Gross (tax-inclusive) amount: A price that already has VAT built in — most consumer-facing shelf prices in VAT countries are quoted this way.