VAT Calculator
Add or remove VAT at any rate — net, VAT and gross breakdown for invoices and receipts.
Removing VAT divides by 1 + rate — it does not subtract the percentage. £120 gross at 20% is £100 net, not £96.
Add or remove VAT in one step
Two modes cover every VAT job. Add VAT takes a net price and applies your rate — what you need when quoting or invoicing. Remove VAT takes a VAT-inclusive price and works backwards to the net and the tax — what you need when claiming expenses or checking a receipt. Preset buttons cover the UK 20% standard rate, the 5% reduced rate, and common EU, UAE, South Africa and India GST rates; any custom rate can be typed directly.
The reverse-VAT trap
Removing VAT is where spreadsheets go wrong. A £120 receipt at 20% does not contain £24 of VAT — because the 20% was charged on the net, not the gross. The correct move is dividing by 1.20: net £100, VAT £20. The error grows with the rate — at Ireland's 23%, subtracting instead of dividing overstates reclaimable VAT by nearly a fifth, which is exactly the kind of mistake that gets expense claims bounced.
Worked examples at 20%
| Direction | You enter | Net | VAT | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Add VAT | £250 net | £250.00 | £50.00 | £300.00 |
| Add VAT | £99.99 net | £99.99 | £20.00 | £119.99 |
| Remove VAT | £120 gross | £100.00 | £20.00 | £120.00 |
| Remove VAT | £45.60 gross | £38.00 | £7.60 | £45.60 |
Rates change — verify before filing
Presets reflect widely-published standard rates, but reduced rates, exemptions and temporary changes are common — always confirm the applicable rate with your tax authority (gov.uk for the UK) before invoicing or filing. Everything here runs in your browser: your figures are never uploaded or stored. Working with tips instead? Try theTip Calculator, or thepercentage converter for other percent math.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I add VAT to a price?
Multiply the net price by the VAT rate and add it on: £100 at 20% VAT is £100 × 1.20 = £120 gross. The calculator shows the net, the VAT amount and the gross separately — the breakdown you need for an invoice.How do I remove VAT from a gross price?
Divide by 1 plus the rate — do not subtract the percentage. £120 including 20% VAT is £120 ÷ 1.20 = £100 net (VAT £20). Subtracting 20% from £120 would wrongly give £96. This reverse calculation is the single most common VAT mistake.What are the current UK VAT rates?
UK VAT has three rates: standard 20% (most goods and services), reduced 5% (home energy, children’s car seats, some renovations) and zero 0% (most food, books, children’s clothes). Some items are exempt entirely — different from zero-rated for reclaim purposes. Always confirm your item’s rate on gov.uk.What is the difference between net, gross and VAT amount?
Net is the price before tax, the VAT amount is the tax itself, and gross is what the customer actually pays (net + VAT). Business invoices normally show all three lines — which is exactly what this calculator outputs.Does this work for GST in India, Australia or Canada?
The math is identical — GST is a value-added tax. Use the India GST 18% preset or type any rate: 5%, 12%, 28% for other Indian GST slabs, 10% for Australia, 5% for Canadian federal GST. The add/remove logic works the same way.Why does my “VAT backwards” calculation not match my accountant’s?
Usually rounding — official VAT records round the VAT amount per line item or per invoice according to local rules. This calculator computes to the exact penny on the amount you enter; for multi-line invoices, apply it per line to match accounting software.Is anything I enter stored?
No — amounts never leave your browser. The calculation is local JavaScript with no server, no analytics on your figures, and it works offline once loaded.