Finance

VAT / Sales Tax Calculator

Add or remove VAT/sales tax from any price. Supports multiple tax rates (10.5%, 21%, 27%). See net price, tax amount, and total instantly.

  • Data verified · June 2026
  • Edited by
  • Formula verified by automated tests
  • Private — runs on your device
Suggest an improvement
Calculator Free · Private
$
Want to change something?Edit any field and calculate again.
Instant resultIt recalculates in your browser, no page reload.
Fast and transparent

How to use this calculator

Follow this tool’s steps, then review its formula, assumptions, and limits below.

Step by step
01
Enter your data
02
Tap the Calculate button
03
Check the result
Need to extract VAT from a final price or add tax to a net price? This calculator does both instantly with three common VAT rates: 10.5% (reduced rate for basic goods and transport), 21% (standard rate), and 27% (higher rate for telecom and energy). Enter the amount, choose whether it includes or excludes tax, and get the net price, tax amount, and total immediately. While the rates shown are based on Argentina's VAT system (IVA), the math works identically for any country's VAT or sales tax -- just match the rate to your jurisdiction. Essential for invoicing, quoting, and comparing prices.

When to use this calculator

  • You have a tax-included price and need the net amount for invoicing.
  • You want to add VAT to a net price for a customer quote.
  • You need to extract the tax amount from an invoice to claim a tax credit.
  • You're comparing suppliers (some quote with tax, others without).
  • You want to calculate how much tax you're paying on a large purchase.

Argentina VAT (IVA) Rates by Category

RateCategory / Application
21%Standard rate — general goods and services
10.5%Reduced rate — basic goods and passenger transport
27%Higher rate — telecom and energy services

Fuente: AFIP / Argentine VAT system (IVA), as referenced in calculator intro

Standard VAT / GST / Sales-Tax Rate by Country (2026)

The reverse-VAT math (divide by 1 + rate) is identical in every country — only the rate changes.

CountryTax nameStandard rateTo remove from a tax-included price, divide byTo add to a net price, multiply by
United KingdomVAT20%1.201.20
GermanyVAT (USt)19%1.191.19
FranceVAT (TVA)20%1.201.20
SpainVAT (IVA)21%1.211.21
ItalyVAT (IVA)22%1.221.22
IrelandVAT23%1.231.23
ArgentinaVAT (IVA)21%1.211.21
MexicoVAT (IVA)16%1.161.16
South AfricaVAT15%1.151.15
New ZealandGST15%1.151.15
AustraliaGST10%1.101.10
JapanConsumption tax10%1.101.10
CanadaGST (federal)5%1.051.05

Standard (general) rate only; most countries also apply reduced rates to food, medicine and books. Canada adds provincial sales tax (PST/HST) on top of the 5% federal GST, for a combined 5–15% depending on province. India (GST 5–28%, general 18%) and China (6/9/13%) use multiple rates by category. Fuente: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries — VAT rates (taxsummaries.pwc.com), 2026.

Standard vs Reduced / Super-Reduced VAT Rates (2026)

CountryStandardReduced rate(s)Typical reduced-rate items
Argentina21%10.5% (and 27% higher)Housing construction, livestock sales, bank financing (10.5%); books, bread, milk, medicines, local passenger transport are VAT-exempt (0%)
United Kingdom20%5% / 0% (zero-rated)Domestic fuel 5%; most food, books, children's clothes 0%
Germany19%7%Food, books, newspapers, public transport, hotels
France20%10% / 5.5% / 2.1%Restaurants & transport 10%; food & books 5.5%; medicines & press 2.1%
Spain21%10% / 4%Hospitality & transport 10%; essential food, books, medicines 4%
Italy22%10% / 5% / 4%Hospitality & energy 10%; basic food & books 4%
Mexico16%0% (northern border 8%)Basic food, medicines, books (0%); northern border zone transactions 8%
Australia (GST)10%0%Basic food, health, education (GST-free)
Canada (GST)5%0%Basic groceries, prescription drugs, medical devices (0%)

Reduced and super-reduced rates apply to essentials (food, medicine, books, children's items) as a social-policy measure; "0% / zero-rated" means no tax is charged but the seller can still reclaim input VAT (different from "exempt"). In Argentina, basic food (bread, milk), books, medicines and local passenger transport are VAT-exempt (not subject to the 10.5% reduced rate); the 10.5% rate applies to housing construction, livestock, and bank financing, while the 27% higher rate applies to utility services (telecoms, gas, water, energy) supplied to non-residential users. The reverse-VAT formula is the same at any rate — to strip 5.5% French VAT, divide by 1.055. Always confirm the exact rate for your specific product, since category rules vary. Fuente: VATupdate — Global VAT Rates by Country 2026 (vatupdate.com) & national tax-authority schedules.

How it works

Common VAT/Sales Tax Rates Worldwide

While this calculator shows Argentina's VAT (IVA) rates, the formulas work for any jurisdiction:

CountryStandard RateReduced Rate
Argentina21%10.5%
United States0-10.25% (varies by state)N/A
United Kingdom20%5%
European Union15-27% (varies by country)5-13%
Canada (GST)5%0%
Australia (GST)10%0%
Mexico16%0%
Brazil12-25% (varies)Varies

Formulas

Remove Tax from a Tax-Included Price

net = price_with_tax / (1 + rate/100)
tax = price_with_tax - net

Add Tax to a Net Price

total = net_price x (1 + rate/100)
tax = total - net_price

The Most Common Mistake

People often try to extract tax by multiplying the total by the rate. This is wrong.

Example with 21% VAT and a $121 total:

  • Wrong: $121 x 0.21 = $25.41 (this is NOT the tax)

  • Correct: $121 / 1.21 = $100 (net), tax = $21
  • The rate is applied to the net price, not the total. To reverse-engineer from the total, you must divide by (1 + rate), not multiply by the rate.

    Business vs Consumer Perspective

  • Consumer: pays the tax-included final price. The tax is invisible (embedded in the price).

  • Business (VAT-registered): charges tax on sales (output tax), pays tax on purchases (input tax), and remits the difference to the government.

  • Small business / simplified regime: may not separate tax in invoices (tax is included in a flat monthly fee).
  • Tax Credits (for Businesses)

    If you're VAT-registered, the tax you pay on business purchases (input tax) is deducted from the tax you charge on sales (output tax). You only remit the net difference to the tax authority.

    Tax payable = Output tax (on sales) - Input tax (on purchases)

    If your input tax exceeds your output tax, you carry the balance forward.

    Common Mistakes

    1. Multiplying the total by the tax rate to find tax: this overestimates the tax. Always divide the total by (1 + rate).
    2. Comparing tax-included prices with net prices: always convert to the same basis before comparing suppliers.
    3. Calculating profit margin on tax-included prices: margin should be on net prices -- the tax isn't yours to keep.
    4. Forgetting that not all products have the same rate: food, medicine, and basic goods often have reduced rates.

    Example: Remove 21% VAT from $121,000

    Price with tax: $121,000.
    Tax rate: 21%.
    Net price: 121,000 / 1.21 = $100,000.
    Tax amount: 121,000 - 100,000 = $21,000.
    Verification: 100,000 x 1.21 = 121,000 confirmed.
    From $121,000 tax-included, the net price is $100,000 and the tax is $21,000 (21%).
    Disclaimer: Informational estimate based on the stated parameters. Rules and brackets may change; verify the relevant tax authority and consult a qualified tax professional for a final filing.

    Frequently asked questions

    How do I remove VAT/tax from a price?
    Divide the price by (1 + rate/100). For 21% VAT: divide by 1.21. For 10.5%: divide by 1.105. For 27%: divide by 1.27. The result is the net (pre-tax) price. The difference between the original price and the net is the tax amount.
    How do I add VAT/tax to a net price?
    Multiply the net price by (1 + rate/100). For 21% VAT: multiply by 1.21. Example: $100,000 x 1.21 = $121,000 (total with tax).
    Why are there different tax rates?
    Reduced rates (like 10.5%) are designed to make essential goods more affordable (food, medicine, transport). Higher rates (like 27%) apply to specific services. The standard rate (21%) covers everything else. Different countries set different rate tiers based on social policy.
    Can I claim back the tax on my purchases?
    Only if you're VAT-registered (in Argentina: 'Responsable Inscripto'). The tax on your business purchases (input tax) is credited against the tax you charge customers (output tax). If you purchased more than you sold, the balance carries forward to the next period.
    Do consumer prices include tax?
    In most countries, consumer-facing prices must include all taxes by law. Business-to-business prices are often quoted net (before tax) with tax added separately on the invoice. Always confirm whether a quoted price includes or excludes tax.
    Why can't I just multiply the total by the tax rate to find the tax?
    Because the tax rate applies to the net price, not the total. If the total is $121 and the rate is 21%, the tax is NOT $121 x 0.21 = $25.41. The correct calculation: net = $121 / 1.21 = $100, tax = $21. The common mistake overestimates the tax by the rate applied to the tax itself.
    How does this work for US sales tax?
    The math is identical. US sales tax varies by state (0% to 10.25%). To remove 8% sales tax from a total of $108: net = $108 / 1.08 = $100, tax = $8. The only difference is that US prices are often displayed before sales tax at the register, while most other countries display tax-included prices.

    Methodology & trust

    Editorial

    Finance calculator with its formula verified automatically against OECD - Value Added Tax, per our editorial policy and methodology.

    Updates

    Updated: June 2026. Parameters are verified periodically against the cited sources.

    Privacy

    Calculations run 100% in your browser. We do not store or transmit your data.

    Limitations

    Indicative results. For critical decisions, consult a professional.

    📌 How to cite this calculator

    Rodríguez, M. (2026). VAT / Sales Tax Calculator. Hacé Cuentas. https://hacecuentas.com/en/vat-tax-calculator

    Content licensed under CC-BY 4.0 — reuse it citing the source with a link to Hacé Cuentas.

    ✉️ Report an error in this calculator