Discount calculator
Calculate the final price and savings of a discount, including a second successive discount and the combined effective percentage.
Choose the currency to display the results.
What this calculator does
This calculator finds the final price and the savings of a discounted product from the original price and the discount percentage.
It also lets you chain a second successive discount (for example, a seasonal sale plus a coupon) and shows the combined effective discount, which is always smaller than the sum of both percentages.
The result updates instantly as you type, with a breakdown of each step of the calculation.
Who it is for
- Shoppers who want to know what they will pay and how much they save before checkout.
- Shop owners setting markdowns who need the exact final price the customer will see.
- Anyone combining promotions (sale + coupon) who wants to know the real total discount.
- Students learning why successive discounts do not simply add up.
What information you need
- The original price of the product, before any markdown.
- The main discount percentage, for example 20.
- Optionally, the percentage of a second discount applied on the already-reduced price.
How it is calculated
The discount is the price multiplied by the percentage and divided by 100; the final price is the original price minus that discount.
If there is a second discount, it applies to the already-reduced price, not to the original. That is why 20% and 10% discounts are not a 30% discount, but an effective 28%.
The combined effective discount uses the formula d1 + d2 − (d1 × d2) ÷ 100, which expresses the total savings as a percentage of the original price.
Each discount is rounded to 2 decimal places (half up) on its own line; the original price minus the total saved always equals the final price exactly.
Formula
- Single discount
final price = price − (price × discount ÷ 100)- Second successive discount
final price = reduced price − (reduced price × second discount ÷ 100)- Combined effective discount
effective % = d1 + d2 − (d1 × d2) ÷ 100
Worked example
An $80 jacket has a 25% discount and you pay with an additional 10% coupon. What do you pay, and what is the real discount?
- First discount: $80 × 25 ÷ 100 = $20. The price drops to $80 − $20 = $60.
- Second discount on the reduced price: $60 × 10 ÷ 100 = $6. The price drops to $60 − $6 = $54.
- Total saved: $20 + $6 = $26. Effective discount: 25 + 10 − (25 × 10) ÷ 100 = 32.5%.
You pay $54.00, you save $26.00, and the effective discount is 32.5% — not 35%.
How to interpret the result
The total saved is in the same currency as the price; the effective discount expresses it as a percentage of the original price.
The effective discount is always smaller than the sum of the two percentages: the second discount acts on a smaller base.
Check how the promotion is stated: mathematically, the order of two percentage discounts does not change the final price (25% then 10% costs the same as 10% then 25%).
Common mistakes
- Adding the percentages of successive discounts: 20% + 10% is not 30%, it is an effective 28%.
- Applying the second discount to the original price instead of the already-reduced one.
- Confusing the money saved with the percentage: a large discount on a small price can save less than a small discount on a large price.
- Assuming a 50% discount followed by another 50% makes the product free: it ends at 25% of the original price.
Frequently asked questions
Why is 20% plus 10% not 30%?
Because the second discount is calculated on the already-reduced price. With $100: 20% leaves the price at $80, and 10% of $80 is $8, not $10. The total saved is $28 — an effective 28%.
Does the order of the discounts matter?
Not for the final price: multiplying by 0.80 and then 0.90 gives the same as multiplying by 0.90 and then 0.80. The intermediate breakdown changes, but the result is identical.
How do I find the original price from the reduced price?
Divide the reduced price by (1 − discount ÷ 100). For example, if you paid $54 with a 10% discount, the previous price was 54 ÷ 0.90 = $60.
Can I use a 100% discount?
Yes: a 100% discount leaves the final price at zero (a free product). Values above 100 are rejected because they would produce a negative price.
How do I calculate the final price with a discount?
Multiply the price by (1 − discount ÷ 100), or subtract the money discount from the original price. A $60 item with a 25% discount ends at $60 × 0.75 = $45; the discount was $15.
How do I know how much I am saving with the discount?
The money saved is the original price minus the final price, or equivalently price × discount ÷ 100. With 25% off $60, you save $15. Watch the money saved and not just the percentage: 25% off $60 saves more than 40% off $30.
How are two discounts applied one after another?
The second discount is calculated on the already-reduced price, not on the original. 30% followed by 20% on $100 gives $100 × 0.70 × 0.80 = $56, an effective discount of 44%, not 50%.
How do I find the original price before the discount?
Divide the discounted price by (1 − discount ÷ 100). If you paid $63.75 after a 15% markdown, the original price was 63.75 ÷ 0.85 = $75.
Sources
- Last reviewed:
- July 21, 2026
- Calculation version:
- 1.0.0
Important notice
The results of this calculator are informative estimates and may differ from official calculations. They do not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Always verify with a professional when the decision warrants it.