Profit Margin Calculator 2026: Are You Making Money on Every Sale?
Calculate all your margin metrics with our [Profit Margin Calculator](/calculators/finance/profit-margin-calculator).
The 4 Margin Metrics Every Business Owner Needs
1. Gross Profit Margin
(Revenue - Cost of Goods Sold) / Revenue
Example: $100 sale, $60 COGS = 40% gross margin
2. Operating Profit Margin
(Revenue - COGS - Operating Expenses) / Revenue
Example: $100 sale, $60 COGS, $25 overhead = 15% operating margin
3. Net Profit Margin
Net Income after tax / Revenue
Example: After taxes = 11.25% net margin
4. EBITDA Margin
Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, Amortization / Revenue. Useful for comparing businesses with different capital structures.
Industry Benchmark Margins (2026)
| Industry | Gross Margin | Net Margin |
|---|---|---|
| SaaS / Software | 70-85% | 15-30% |
| E-commerce retail | 30-45% | 2-5% |
| Restaurant | 60-70% | 3-5% |
| Manufacturing | 25-40% | 5-10% |
| Consulting | 60-80% | 10-25% |
| Grocery retail | 20-30% | 1-3% |
The Markup vs Margin Mistake That Kills Businesses
Markup is calculated on cost. Margin is calculated on price. They are NOT the same.
| Cost | Markup | Selling Price | Gross Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| $60 | 50% | $90 | 33% |
| $60 | 67% | $100 | 40% |
| $60 | 100% | $120 | 50% |
Adding 40% markup does NOT give you 40% margin — it gives you 28.6% margin. To achieve exactly 40% gross margin: Selling Price = Cost / (1 - 0.40) = $60 / 0.60 = $100.
Minimum Viable Margin by Business Type
| Business | Minimum Gross Margin |
|---|---|
| Service business | 50%+ (labor is the main cost) |
| Physical product | 40%+ to cover overhead |
| Digital product | 70%+ (scale without variable cost) |
| Retail | 25%+ (volume dependent) |
Related Business Tools
- [Break-Even Calculator](/calculators/finance/break-even-calculator) — Revenue needed to cover costs
- [Startup Runway Calculator](/calculators/finance/startup-runway-calculator) — Cash until you reach profitability
- [ROI Calculator](/calculators/finance/roi-calculator) — Return on business investment
