VAT Calculator
Add VAT to a net price or remove it from a gross price at 20% or any rate, with the net, VAT and gross amounts and presets for EU countries.
The interactive tool loads here when JavaScript runs.
About this toolWhat is the VAT Calculator?
The VAT Calculator converts between net (excluding VAT) and gross (including VAT) prices and shows the VAT in between. Add VAT turns a net price into the gross a customer pays; Remove VAT takes a VAT-inclusive price and extracts the net and the tax, which is what you need for invoices, expense claims and VAT returns.
The rate defaults to the UK standard 20%, with one-tap buttons for the UK reduced 5% and zero rate and a country list of standard rates for the UK and fifteen EU member states. Every rate can be typed over, because reduced rates apply to many goods and rates change.
- Add or remove VAT in either direction
- UK 20%, 5% and 0% buttons
- Standard-rate presets for the UK and 15 EU countries, with source and date
- Any custom rate, including decimals
- Net, VAT and gross shown together
How to use the VAT Calculator
- Choose Add VAT (net to gross) or Remove VAT (gross to net).
- Enter the amount: the net price to add VAT to, or the VAT-inclusive price to take it out of.
- Pick a country preset, tap a UK rate button, or type any rate into the VAT rate field.
- Read the net, VAT and gross amounts, and the VAT fraction for the rate in the working panel.
- Change the currency if needed and copy the figures for an invoice or expense claim.
Worked examples
Adding UK VAT to an invoice
Input
Add VAT, net 250.00, 20%
Output
VAT 50.00; gross 300.00
250 x 1.20 = 300. The invoice shows 250 net, 50 VAT and 300 total.
Taking VAT out of a receipt
Input
Remove VAT, gross 300.00, 20%
Output
Net 250.00; VAT 50.00 (one sixth of 300)
Dividing by 1.20 gives 250. Taking 20% off 300 would give 240 and overstate the VAT by 10.
German VAT at 19%
Input
Remove VAT, gross 119.00, Germany 19%
Output
Net 100.00; VAT 19.00
At 19% the VAT fraction is 19/119, about 15.97% of the gross price.
Finland at 25.5%
Input
Add VAT, net 100.00, Finland 25.5%
Output
VAT 25.50; gross 125.50
Rates do not have to be whole numbers; Finland's standard rate is 25.5%.
Background and insight
Adding VAT multiplies: gross = net x (1 + rate), so 250 at 20% becomes 300. Removing VAT divides: net = gross / (1 + rate). The VAT inside a gross price is gross x rate / (100 + rate), which HMRC calls the VAT fraction; at 20% that is 20/120, or one sixth. The classic error is to take 20% off the gross: 20% of 300 is 60, but the VAT in 300 is only 50.
The country presets are standard rates taken from the European Commission's Your Europe "VAT rules and rates" table (last checked by the Commission on 13 July 2026) and from GOV.UK for the UK. The EU VAT Directive sets a minimum standard rate of 15% and lets each member state choose its own, so rates range from 17% in Luxembourg to 27% in Hungary. Most countries also have one or two reduced rates for items such as food, books or energy.
The UK standard rate has been 20% since 4 January 2011, with a 5% reduced rate (for example on home energy and children's car seats) and a zero rate (most food and children's clothes). Zero-rated is not the same as exempt: zero-rated sales are taxable at 0%, while exempt ones are outside VAT altogether, which affects whether a business can reclaim input VAT.
Common use cases
Writing invoices
Turn a net quote into the VAT and gross lines a VAT-registered business must show.
Expense claims
Split a VAT-inclusive receipt into net and VAT so the reclaimable VAT is recorded correctly.
Cross-border pricing
Compare what the same net price costs customers in different EU countries.
Checking a quote
Confirm whether a supplier's price includes VAT by testing both directions.
Tips and limitations
- Always confirm whether a price is net or gross before calculating; B2B quotes are usually net, consumer prices are usually gross.
- Never take the rate off a gross price. Use the VAT fraction rate / (100 + rate) instead.
- Reduced and zero rates apply to many goods and services, so the standard rate is not always right.
- VAT is normally rounded per invoice line or per invoice; follow your tax authority's rounding rules on a VAT return.
- Rates change. The presets are dated; check the official rate before filing.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add 20% VAT to a price?
Multiply the net price by 1.2. A net price of £80 becomes £96, of which £16 is VAT.
How do I remove VAT from a price that includes it?
Divide the gross by 1 plus the rate. At 20%, divide by 1.2: £96 / 1.2 = £80 net, so the VAT is £16. Equivalently, the VAT is one sixth of the gross.
Why is removing 20% VAT not the same as taking 20% off?
Because the VAT was 20% of the net price, not of the gross. Taking 20% off £120 gives £96, but the real net is £100. The VAT fraction at 20% is 1/6, about 16.67% of the gross.
What is the standard VAT rate in EU countries?
Each member state sets its own, with a minimum of 15%. According to the European Commission's table, Germany is 19%, France 20%, Italy 22%, Spain and the Netherlands 21%, Ireland 23%, and Hungary has the highest at 27%.
What are the UK VAT rates?
GOV.UK lists a standard rate of 20%, a reduced rate of 5% (for example home energy) and a zero rate (most food and children's clothes).
What is the difference between zero-rated and VAT exempt?
Zero-rated goods are taxable at 0%, so a business selling them can still reclaim VAT on its costs. Exempt goods are outside VAT, so related input VAT usually cannot be reclaimed.
Is there an in-depth guide to the VAT Calculator?
Yes. “Sales Tax, VAT, Discounts and Tips: Percentages at the Till” covers the background, how it works, common pitfalls and worked examples. Read the full guide.
Related Tools You May Like
Free, in-browser tools that pair well with this one.