How to use the VAT calculator
- Choose Add VAT to go from a net price to a gross price, or Remove VAT to go the other way.
- Enter the price: excluding VAT (net) when adding, including VAT (gross) when removing.
- Pick a country's standard rate, or choose Other rate and type any rate, such as a reduced rate.
- Read the net price, the VAT and the gross price, plus the same amount at every listed country's standard rate.
The VAT formulas
To remove VAT, divide; don't subtract the rate. Taking 20% off a £120 gross price gives £96, but the net price is £120 ÷ 1.2 = £100. The VAT inside a gross price is always a smaller share than the rate: one sixth at 20%, about 18.7% at 23%.
Worked example
The defaults add United Kingdom VAT at 20% to a net price of 100.
- VAT: 100 × 0.20 = 20.00
- Gross price: 100 + 20.00 = 120.00
Removing 20% VAT from a gross price of 120 gives 120 ÷ 1.20 = 100.00 net, with 20.00 of VAT. At Germany's 19% standard rate, 100 net becomes 119.00 gross. The result shows in the currency chosen on the calculator.
Standard VAT rates in 2026
| Country | Standard rate | Reduced rates exist? |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 20% | Yes (5%, 0%) |
| Ireland | 23% | Yes |
| Germany | 19% | Yes |
| France | 20% | Yes |
| Netherlands | 21% | Yes |
| Spain | 21% | Yes |
| Italy | 22% | Yes |
| United Arab Emirates | 5% | Zero rate for some supplies |
| Saudi Arabia | 15% | Zero rate for some supplies |
| South Africa | 15% | Zero rate for some supplies |
Rates checked in 2026 with GOV.UK, Revenue (Ireland), the EU's Your Europe VAT rates table for Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy, the UAE Federal Tax Authority, Saudi Arabia's ZATCA (15% since July 1, 2020) and SARS (a planned rise to 15.5% was reversed in 2025). Rates can change at short notice, so check the tax authority before filing a return.
Net, gross and the VAT you can reclaim
Businesses registered for VAT charge it on their sales (output VAT) and reclaim the VAT on their business purchases (input VAT), paying the tax authority the difference. That is why business quotes are often given net and consumer prices gross. In the UK, shop prices for consumers must include VAT, and many EU countries have the same rule. Reduced rates apply to things such as food, books, children's clothing or energy, and the list differs from country to country. Choose "Other rate" to use one.
The US has no VAT; states charge sales tax on top of the shelf price instead. Use the sales tax calculator for US prices.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate VAT backwards from a gross price?
Divide the gross price by 1 plus the VAT rate. For 20% VAT, divide by 1.2: a gross price of 360 is 300 net and 60 VAT. The quick shortcut at 20% is that the VAT is one sixth of the gross price.
What is the VAT rate in the UK?
The UK standard rate is 20% and applies to most goods and services. A reduced rate of 5% applies to some items, such as home energy and children's car seats, and a zero rate to most food and children's clothes.
What is the VAT rate in South Africa?
The standard rate is 15%. The 2025 budget planned rises to 15.5% from May 2025 and 16% from April 2026, but they were reversed before taking effect, so 15% still applies in 2026. Some basic foods and exports are zero-rated.
Why does removing VAT not give the same as taking the rate off?
Because VAT is a percentage of the net price, not of the gross price. Taking 20% off a gross price of 120 would remove 24, more than the 20 of VAT it actually contains. Dividing by 1.20 gives the right answer.
Related calculators
- Sales Tax Calculator — Add sales tax to a price, take it back out of a total, or find the rate from a receipt.
- Percentage Calculator — Percent of a number, what percent one number is of another, percentage change and difference.
- Margin Calculator — Gross profit, margin and markup from cost and price, or the selling price you need for a target margin or markup.
- Discount Calculator — Final price after a percent or dollar discount, with an optional second stacked discount and sales tax.
Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial, tax or legal advice. See our disclaimer.