Percentage Calculator
Percentages are behind almost every money decision: interest, VAT, income tax, discounts, raises and margins. This calculator solves the four everyday percentage sums: how much a percentage of a value is, what percentage one value is of another, the change between two values, and how to increase or decrease a value by a percentage. For example, 20% of 100 is 20.
Pick what you want to work out and fill in the two fields. The same calculator does percentages, discounts and increases. For example, 20% of 100 is 20.
Educational estimate, not financial advice. It calculates percentages; for VAT, income tax or interest, use the dedicated calculators.
What is a percentage of a value
This is the most common sum: to find X% of a value, divide the percentage by 100 and multiply by the value (X ÷ 100 × value). 20% of 100 is 0.20 × 100 = 20; 23% of €1,500 (Portugal’s standard VAT rate) is €345. It is the same sum you use for VAT, a commission or a tip.
What percentage one value is of another
To find what percentage the part is of the total, divide the part by the total and multiply by 100 (part ÷ total × 100). If you saved €20 on an €80 purchase, you saved 20 ÷ 80 × 100 = 25%. It tells you what share of your budget a cost is, or how big a saving is relative to your salary.
The percentage change between two values
Change measures how much a value rose or fell, in percent: (ending value − starting value) ÷ starting value × 100. From €100 to €125 is a +25% rise; from €200 to €150, a −25% fall. This is how you read inflation, a pay rise or an investment’s return.
Increase or decrease a value by a percentage
To apply a rise or a discount, add or subtract the percentage of the value: increasing is value × (1 + X ÷ 100), decreasing is value × (1 − X ÷ 100). A 30% discount on €80 leaves €56; a 23% rise on €1,000 gives €1,230. Choose “Decrease” for a discount and “Increase” for a price or salary rise.
Worked example
Take an €80 jumper with 30% off. In the “Increase or decrease a value” mode, with value 80, percentage 30 and “Decrease”, the calculator shows €56 (the discount is €24). To check what percentage you saved against the full price, the “What percentage one value is of another” mode with 24 and 80 confirms the 30%. And going from €56 back to €80 would need a rise of about +42.9%, not 30%, because the base changed.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate a percentage of a value?
How do I know what percentage one value is of another?
How do you calculate the percentage change between two values?
How do I calculate a discount?
Why does removing and re-adding the same percentage not give the original value?
Related calculators & reading
Embed this calculator
Paste this code on your site to show the calculator. It includes an attribution link.
Preview
Sources
- Todos Contam: Portal de educação financeira — Banco de Portugal
- DECO PROteste: contas e finanças pessoais — DECO PROteste
Author: Thorben Rasmus Idel · Reviewed by: Nahar Geva · Last reviewed: 2026-06-24