Updated · Built and checked by the PlinzoTools team, formulas tested against published sources
Calculate a total bill including both sales tax and tip, with a choice of tipping on the pre-tax or post-tax amount.
This tool calculates a complete bill total including both sales tax and tip -- letting you choose whether your tip is calculated on the pre-tax subtotal (the most common convention) or the post-tax total, since both approaches are used in practice.
Enter your bill amount before tax/tip, your sales tax rate, and your tip percentage, and choose which amount the tip is based on. Your tax, tip, and grand total appear instantly.
The tool first computes sales tax as the bill times the tax rate divided by 100. It then picks the amount the tip is based on: the original pre-tax bill if you choose pre-tax, or the bill plus tax if you choose post-tax. The tip is that base times the tip percentage divided by 100, and the grand total is the bill plus tax plus tip. The tax and tip are shown under the total.
Tax = bill x tax % / 100. Tip = tip base x tip % / 100, where the base is the bill (pre-tax) or bill + tax (post-tax). Total = bill + tax + tip.
Take a $60.00 bill with 8 percent sales tax and an 18 percent tip. Tax is $4.80. With the tip on the pre-tax amount, the tip is 18 percent of $60, which is $10.80, so the total is $75.60. With the tip on the post-tax amount, the base is $64.80, the tip is about $11.66, and the total is about $76.46. The difference is roughly 86 cents, which is the tip percentage applied to the tax. On a small bill, that is minor; on a large catering or event bill, the choice adds up, so it helps to decide deliberately.
Neither is a rule, and local customs and personal choice differ. The tool lets you see both totals so you can pick the one that feels right.
Enter the pre-tax subtotal as the bill, not the printed total, otherwise tax will be counted twice. Use the sales tax rate actually charged where you are dining, which is often a combined state, county and city rate. Your receipt usually prints the tax amount, and you can divide that by the subtotal to find the effective rate. Some places tax only certain items, or apply different rates to prepared food, alcohol and takeout, so a single rate may not perfectly match the receipt. If your receipt shows a tax amount that differs from the tool, trust the receipt and use the result as an estimate. To look up a state rate, see the state sales tax calculators on this site, and confirm local rates with your state's department of revenue.
The tool uses one tax rate and one tip percentage for the entire bill. It does not handle mandatory service charges, discounts, coupons, or splitting between multiple people; for the last of these, take the total and use the Tip Split Calculator or divide it yourself. It also displays results rounded to cents, so a printed receipt may differ by a penny because of how a restaurant rounds each line.
Tipping on the pre-tax subtotal is the more commonly cited convention (since tax isn't part of the service being tipped for), but norms vary -- this tool lets you choose either way.
No. Enter the amount before tax and tip. The tool adds tax using the rate you provide, so including tax in the bill would count it twice.
The tool starts with the tip calculated on the pre-tax amount. You can switch it to the post-tax total using the selector.
Divide the tax amount printed on the receipt by the subtotal and multiply by 100. That gives the effective rate for that purchase.
Restaurants may round tax per item or apply different rates to different items, while this tool applies one rate to the whole bill. Small differences are normal.