Margin Calculator

Australian GST Calculations

Calculate your gross profit margin, markup and profit from your cost and selling price.

Enter your product or service cost and selling price to see exactly how much you make on each sale.

Transparent formulae

Input Parameters

ex GST
$ AUD

Direct cost to produce, purchase or import one unit before taxes.

Excludes GST
$ AUD

The price charged to your client or buyer.

When checked, the 10% GST is automatically removed (divided by 1.10) to calculate your business profit margin on an ex-GST basis.

Quick Australian Benchmark Tests:
Calculation SummaryLive Output
Gross Profit MarginHealthy Margin
35.0%

Percentage of selling price retained after direct goods cost.

Gross Profit$37.69Net cash per unit
Markup on Cost53.84%Over base cost
Selling Price (ex GST)$107.69Statutory revenue
Customer Price (incl GST)$118.46Incl. 10% ATO GST

For every $100 of sales before GST, $35.00 remains after the direct costs you entered to cover operating expenses and business profit.

What do you want to do next?

Follow the natural accounting pathway to dial in your Australian commercial pricing.

Margin vs Markup: Why they are different

Confusing margin with markup is one of the most common pricing errors made by Australian small business owners, directly eroding operating profits.

The Practical Scenario

“If something costs $60 and sells for $100:”

Direct Cost:$60.00
Selling Price:$100.00
Dollar Profit:$40.00
Margin:40.0%
Markup:66.7%

Gross Profit Margin

Margin is profit expressed as a percentage of the selling price. It tells you what proportion of each sales dollar your business keeps after covering product direct costs.

Margin = ($40 Profit ÷ $100 Selling Price) × 100 = 40%

Markup on Cost

Markup is profit expressed as a percentage of the cost. It indicates how much you have marked up above the direct wholesale expense to reach the final shelf price.

Markup = ($40 Profit ÷ $60 Cost) × 100 = 66.7%
Calculate Markup InsteadTakes less than 15 seconds
Standard Accounting Transparency

How the Calculation Works

Australian commercial accounting follows three standard statutory formulas to derive margin, markup and gross unit profit.

Step 1: Profit Dollar1

Gross Profit

Gross Profit = Selling Price − Cost Price

Represents the direct dollar balance remaining to service administrative rent, marketing, superannuation and company tax.

Step 2: Margin Ratio2

Margin Percentage

Margin = (Gross Profit ÷ Selling Price) × 100

Selling price is in the denominator. Can never naturally exceed 100% unless costs are negative.

Step 3: Markup Ratio3

Markup Percentage

Markup = (Gross Profit ÷ Cost Price) × 100

Cost price sits in the denominator. Easily exceeds 100% when selling prices are doubled.

Note on GST: In all calculations where GST applies, the Goods and Services Tax (10%) is subtracted from consumer pricing before applying these equations, ensuring you do not count ATO remittance liabilities as margin.
Australian Commercial Case Study

Practical Scenario: Retail Product Sale

A retailer buys an item for $70 and sells it for $110 excluding GST.

Retail & E-commerce
Gross Profit$40.00$110.00 − $70.00 cost
Gross Margin36.36%($40.00 ÷ $110.00) × 100
Markup Percentage57.14%($40.00 ÷ $70.00) × 100

Executive Takeaway: The retailer keeps $36.36 out of every $100 in revenue to cover operating expenses and business profit, requiring a 57.14% markup over their wholesale cost.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Practical commercial guidance on margin calculations under Australian tax regulations.

A "good" profit margin varies considerably across Australian industries and operating models. For example, retail grocery often survives on slim gross margins of 15% to 25% due to high transaction turnover, whereas professional consultancies, SaaS and specialized trade services typically target 50% to 75% gross margins to cover heavy labor and indirect overheads. Rather than chasing generic benchmarks, ensure your margin provides sufficient dollar profits to cover operating leases, wages, superannuation, and emergency reserves.

Statutory Notice: BizCalc provides calculation tools for general informational purposes. Results depend on the figures you enter and do not constitute accounting, tax or financial advice. Consult a registered Australian BAS agent, CPA, or chartered tax advisor before making major commercial decisions.