VAT Calculator guide
Switch between Add VAT and Remove VAT, pick a country preset or type any rate, and see the net price, VAT amount, and gross price. Works in any currency: pounds, euros, dollars, it is all the same math.
Two modes, one rate
Choose Add VAT when you know the price before tax (net) and need the customer price (gross). Choose Remove VAT when you have a VAT-inclusive price and need to pull the tax back out. Enter a rate or tap a preset, and the calculator shows three numbers: net, VAT amount, and gross.
The numbers are currency-neutral. The math for pounds, euros, Canadian dollars, and Australian dollars is identical, so there is no currency switch to fiddle with.
The formulas
Add VAT: gross = net x (1 + rate). VAT = gross - net.
Remove VAT: net = gross / (1 + rate). VAT = gross - net.
The rate is written as a decimal here, so 20 percent is 0.20 and 1 + rate is 1.20. At 19 percent it is 1.19, at 23 percent 1.23.
The mistake almost everyone makes
To remove 20 percent VAT from 120, people subtract 20 percent of 120 and get 96. Wrong. The VAT was added to the net price, not the gross, so you have to reverse the multiplication: 120 / 1.20 = 100. The VAT is 20, not 24.
The error grows with the amount. On a German invoice of 1,190 euros including 19 percent VAT, the correct net is 1,190 / 1.19 = 1,000. Subtracting 19 percent instead gives 963.90, off by 36.10. On a year of expense claims that becomes real money and a messy VAT return.
A handy shortcut: at 20 percent, the VAT inside any gross price is exactly one sixth of it (20 / 120). At 10 percent, as with Australian GST, it is one eleventh (10 / 110). At other rates, divide the rate by 100 plus the rate: at 19 percent, 19 / 119, about 16 percent of the gross.
Worked examples
UK online shop: a product sells for 49.99 pounds including VAT. Remove VAT at 20 percent: net = 49.99 / 1.20 = 41.66, VAT = 8.33. That 41.66 is what the seller keeps before costs.
Irish freelancer: a job is quoted at 250 euros net. Add VAT at 23 percent: 250 x 1.23 = 307.50 gross, with 57.50 of VAT to pass on to Revenue.
Australian purchase: a receipt shows 110 dollars including GST. Remove 10 percent: 110 / 1.10 = 100 net, 10 of GST.
The preset rates
Standard rates as of 2025; check current rates before filing anything: UK 20 percent, Germany 19 percent, France 20 percent, Italy 22 percent, Spain 21 percent, Ireland 23 percent, Netherlands 21 percent, Canada GST 5 percent, Australia GST 10 percent.
These are standard rates only. Most countries also have reduced rates for things like food, books, and energy, and zero rates for some essentials. EU law requires every member state's standard rate to be at least 15 percent. In Canada, several provinces combine GST with a provincial portion into a single HST, such as 13 percent in Ontario, so the 5 percent preset is the federal part only. If your item uses a reduced or combined rate, type it in.
Why Americans run into VAT
The US has no VAT. It uses sales tax instead, set by states, counties, and cities, and added at the register rather than baked into the shelf price. That is why a $20 item rings up as $21.60 in one town and $21.80 in another.
You meet VAT when you buy from a UK or EU store, sell to European customers online, travel abroad, or get an invoice from a European contractor. European shelf prices already include VAT, so the sticker is what you pay, and visitors from outside the EU can often reclaim VAT on goods they export, subject to each country's rules. For US sales tax, use the sales tax calculator instead; the math is the same Add VAT formula, but the rate depends on the address.
How we calculate: sources
Frequently asked questions
How do I add VAT to a price?
Multiply the net price by 1 + the rate. At 20%, a net price of 100 becomes 100 x 1.20 = 120, and the VAT is 20.
How do I remove VAT from a price?
Divide the gross price by 1 + the rate. At 20%, 120 / 1.20 = 100 net, so the VAT was 20. Do not subtract 20% of 120; that gives 96, which is wrong.
What is the UK VAT rate?
The UK standard rate is 20%. There is also a 5% reduced rate on some goods, like home energy, and a 0% rate on most food and children's clothing. Standard rates as of 2025; check current rates.
Does the US have VAT?
No. The US has no VAT and no federal sales tax. Instead, most states and many cities charge a sales tax at the register, and five states (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon) have no statewide sales tax.
What is the difference between net and gross price?
Net is the price before VAT. Gross is the price the customer pays, VAT included. In the UK and EU, consumer prices on shelves are shown gross by law, while business invoices list net, VAT, and gross separately.
What VAT rate presets are included?
UK 20%, Germany 19%, France 20%, Italy 22%, Spain 21%, Ireland 23%, Netherlands 21%, Canada GST 5%, and Australia GST 10%. These are standard rates as of 2025; check current rates, and type any custom rate you need.
Is my data kept private?
Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded to a server or stored by us.
How do I work out VAT from a total that includes VAT?
Divide the total by 1 + the rate to get the net, then subtract. At 20 percent, the VAT is simply the total divided by 6.
Is GST the same as VAT?
They work the same way. Canada, Australia, and New Zealand call their value-added tax GST, goods and services tax. The add and remove formulas are identical.