Use this sales calculator to estimate total sales revenue, cost of goods sold (COGS), and profit from a unit cost, quantity sold, and target margin or markup. You can enter actual sales quantities to review an order or expected quantities to estimate projected sales revenue.
The calculator works out a selling price from your cost and pricing target, then multiplies it by quantity. It does not predict how many units customers will buy—you supply that assumption.
How to use the sales calculator
- Choose a calculation method. Select “Sales volume by target cost and margin” or “Sales volume by target cost and markup.” Here, sales volume refers to the dollar value of sales, not a calculated number of units.
- Enter the cost of one product or service unit. Use the cost per item, service package, or other consistently defined unit—not the total cost of the order.
- Enter Quantity Sold. Use an actual quantity for a completed transaction or an expected quantity for a forecast. Keep the period consistent, such as units per month.
- Enter your margin or markup percentage. Enter 20 for 20%, not 0.20. These percentages use different bases, so choose the method that matches your pricing policy.
- Review Total Sales, Profit, and COGS. Change one assumption at a time to see how it affects the results.
For an ordinary positive-price calculation, use a positive unit cost and a nonnegative quantity. A target margin must be below 100%: at 100%, the formula divides by zero, and above 100% it produces a negative selling price when cost is positive.
How to calculate sales from margin or markup
The basic relationship is:
Total sales = Selling price per unit × Quantity sold
This calculator derives the selling price internally using one of the following methods.
Using a target margin
Margin expresses profit as a percentage of the selling price:
Selling price = Unit cost ÷ (1 − Margin ÷ 100)
For example, a $100 unit cost and a 20% margin produce a selling price of $125. The $25 difference is 20% of the $125 selling price.
Using a target markup
Markup expresses profit as a percentage of cost:
Selling price = Unit cost × (1 + Markup ÷ 100)
A $100 unit cost and a 20% markup produce a selling price of $120—not $125. A 20% margin is equivalent to a 25% markup, which is why the two inputs are not interchangeable.
Calculating costs and profit
Both modes use the same remaining formulas:
- COGS = Unit cost × Quantity sold
- Profit = Total sales − COGS
The displayed Profit is revenue less the unit costs you entered. If those costs represent COGS, this is gross profit, not net profit after all business expenses.
Worked example: 500 units at a $100 unit cost
Suppose you expect to sell 500 units during a month. The table compares two pricing assumptions; the selling price column shows the price derived by the formulas.
| Pricing assumption | Selling price per unit | Total Sales | COGS | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20% margin | $125 | $62,500 | $50,000 | $12,500 |
| 50% markup | $150 | $75,000 | $50,000 | $25,000 |
The 50% markup scenario generates more revenue and profit at the same quantity because it implies a higher selling price. It does not prove that customers will buy 500 units at that price.
How to interpret your sales forecast
- Total Sales is revenue, not earnings. It is the calculated selling price multiplied by quantity, before any adjustments not represented in the inputs.
- Profit depends on your cost definition. Rent, administration, marketing, financing costs, and taxes are not separately deducted. Do not treat the result as take-home income.
- A higher quantity scales every result proportionally. At an unchanged cost and margin or markup, doubling quantity doubles revenue, COGS, and profit.
- A forecast is only as reliable as its assumptions. The tool does not model seasonality, customer demand, returns, discounts, or payment timing. Revenue is not the same as cash collected.
For several products with different costs or pricing targets, calculate each product separately and add the results. A simple average cost can misstate sales if products have different margins and sales quantities.
Practical ways to use the results
Compare conservative and optimistic sales scenarios
Keep your unit cost and pricing target constant, then test different quantities. At a $100 cost and 20% margin, selling 400 units generates $50,000 in revenue and $10,000 in gross profit; selling 600 generates $75,000 and $15,000. Use evidence from recent orders, seasonality, or your sales pipeline to choose plausible quantities.
Review pricing and bulk orders
For a bulk order, enter any verified lower unit cost and test a reduced margin or markup. Compare the resulting gross profit with the order’s handling, delivery, and other incremental expenses before accepting it. The calculator requires a unit cost; it does not derive that cost from a supplier’s total quote.
Use the Price Calculator when your main question is the selling price needed for a target margin. Cost-based pricing should also be considered alongside customer value and competition; this guide to pricing strategies provides broader context.
Check the effect of changing costs
Increasing unit cost while holding margin or markup constant also increases the implied selling price. This models passing the increase on to customers—not absorbing it at an unchanged price.
Increasing quantity does not automatically lower unit cost. If growth changes your cost assumptions, update them yourself. Spreading fixed costs over more units can lower average fixed cost, but additional capacity or diseconomies of scale may offset that benefit.
Related calculators for your next step
- Sales Revenue Calculator: calculate revenue when you already know your selling price and quantity.
- Margin After Discount Calculator: check how a discount affects your margin.
- Break-Even Point Calculator: estimate the sales needed to cover fixed and variable costs.
Build a quote calculator for your customers
If customers need estimates based on quantities, product options, or volume pricing, use Calcopolis to build a customized quote calculator for your website. It can help visitors estimate an order and submit a better-informed quote request.