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Tip calculator

Work out the tip, the total and each person's share, with the tip on the amount before or after tax.

  • Formula and assumptions shown
  • Table and CSV export
  • Runs in your browser

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Inputs

Changes the currency amounts are shown in. Nothing is converted.
The amount on the check, including any tax.
The tax shown on the receipt, so the tip can be worked out on the amount before tax. Leave at 0 if you do not know it.

Results update as you type.

Result

Ready to calculate

Assumptions used

Calculated result—

Enter your numbers to see an estimate.

Notes and methodology

How it works

Enter the bill, the tip percentage and how many people are paying. The calculator shows the tip, the total with the tip and each person's share, plus a table of the same bill at common tip rates so you can compare at a glance.

Formula

Tip = amount tipped on × tip % ÷ 100, where the amount tipped on is the bill minus tax (before tax) or the bill (after tax). Total = bill + tip. Each share = total ÷ number of people; rounded up, each share = the next whole amount at or above it.

If you enter the tax shown on the receipt, the tip can be worked out on the amount before tax, so the tip reflects the food and service rather than the tax. Choose the total instead to tip on everything; on an $86.40 bill with $6.40 of tax, 20% is $16.00 on the pre-tax amount and $17.28 on the total.

Rounding each share up to a whole amount makes paying in cash or by app easier. The calculator shows how much rounding adds and the tip rate that results, so the extra is visible rather than hidden.

Read the full methodology

Assumptions

  • The bill total includes any tax; the tax field is used only to tip on the pre-tax amount.
  • The bill is split evenly; shares are shown to the cent, so one person may cover a leftover cent.
  • A service charge already on the bill is not added again; enter the bill without it if you tip separately.

Worked example

$86.40 bill with $6.40 tax, 20% tip, split between 2

20% of the $80.00 pre-tax amount is a $16.00 tip, so the total is $102.40 and each person pays $51.20. Tipping 20% on the full $86.40 instead gives $17.28 and $51.84 each. Rounding each share up to $52 adds $1.60, making the tip $17.60, an effective 22% of the pre-tax amount.

Step by step

  1. Find the amount to tip on. The bill is $86.40 including $6.40 of tax, so the amount before tax is $86.40 − $6.40 = $80.00.
  2. Work out the tip. 20% of $80.00 is $80.00 × 0.2 = $16.00.
  3. Add the tip to the bill. $86.40 + $16.00 = $102.40 in total.
  4. Split the total. $102.40 ÷ 2 = $51.20 each, of which $8.00 is each person’s share of the tip.

How to read your result

The headline is what each person pays, or the total to pay when one person is paying. Below it are the tip, the total with the tip and each person’s share of the tip.

With rounding on, each share is rounded up to a whole amount and the calculator shows what the rounding adds and the tip rate it works out to. The table lists the same bill at common tip rates, with the total and each share.

What changes the result most

Tip rate
On an $80.00 pre-tax amount, each 5 points of tip is $4.00: $12.00 at 15%, $16.00 at 20% and $20.00 at 25%.
Before or after tax
At 20%, tipping on the $86.40 total instead of the $80.00 before tax adds $1.28, making the tip $17.28.
Rounding up
Rounding two $51.20 shares up to $52 adds $1.60, so the tip becomes $17.60, or 22% of the pre-tax amount.

Questions

How do I calculate a tip?

Multiply the amount by the tip rate as a decimal. A 20% tip on $80 is $80 × 0.2 = $16. For 10%, move the decimal point one place left ($8.00); double that for 20%.

Should the tip be on the amount before or after tax?

Either works; it is your choice. Tipping on the pre-tax amount leaves the tax out of the tip. On an $86.40 bill that includes $6.40 of tax, 20% is $16.00 before tax or $17.28 after.

How do I split a bill and tip between people?

Add the tip to the bill, then divide by the number of people. $86.40 plus a $16.00 tip is $102.40, or $51.20 each for two people.

Is an automatic gratuity a tip?

Not under IRS rules. A payment is a tip only if the customer voluntarily decides to pay it and chooses the amount; a mandatory service charge, such as an automatic 18% for a large party, is not a tip. Check the receipt so you do not tip twice.

What is an 18% tip on $80?

$80 × 0.18 = $14.40. On an $86.40 bill that includes $6.40 of tax, the total with that tip is $100.80, or $50.40 each for two people.

More in Everyday & business

Sources

These references explain the concepts behind the calculation. They do not endorse this site. Estimates leave out any cost or condition you did not enter.