Landscaping markup and margin calculator
Markup and margin are not the same number. Enter your costs and see the price and the profit that really result.
Free to use, no sign-up.
Result
- Total cost
- Price to charge
- Profit
- Margin
- Markup
Markup versus margin in one line
Markup is profit as a share of your cost. Margin is profit as a share of the price. They use the same profit but divide by different numbers, so the percentages differ.
A 50% markup is only a 33.3% margin. If you want a 40% margin, you need a 66.7% markup. Pricing with a margin percentage as if it were a markup is a common way to earn less than you planned.
Use the calculator before you quote, and again after a job to check what you actually kept.
- Markup = profit ÷ cost
- Margin = profit ÷ price
- Price = cost ÷ (1 − margin)
- Price = cost × (1 + markup)
How to use the calculator
- Choose what you want to set Pick margin (a share of the price) or markup (a share of the cost) as your target.
- Enter your costs Enter what the job costs you. Use true costs, including payroll taxes and overhead where you can.
- Read the price and profit The calculator shows the price you need to charge and the profit that results, so you can compare it with what you were about to quote.
Worked example (labelled illustrative)
These figures are made up to show the arithmetic. They are not a recommended price or a typical margin.
| Starting point | Cost | Price | Profit | Markup | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50% markup | 1,000 dollars | 1,500 dollars | 500 dollars | 50% | 33.3% |
| 40% margin | 1,000 dollars | 1,666.67 dollars | 666.67 dollars | 66.7% | 40% |
Let the quote do this for you
Once you know your numbers, save them once. In VisionScaper you can choose markup by cost type or a target gross margin, and every quote uses them. Pair them with job costing software to see whether jobs earned what you planned, and quote with your price book. Find more in our landscaping guides.
Questions about pricing a landscape job
Either works if you stay consistent. Margin is easier to compare with your overhead and profit goals, because it is a share of what the customer pays. Markup is easier to apply to a cost list.
Because margin divides profit by the price, which is larger than the cost. 500 dollars of profit on a 1,500 dollar price is 33.3%.
Only what you enter as cost. Add your overhead in the cost, and ask your accountant how sales tax applies to you.
Yes. In Settings you choose markup by cost type or a target gross margin, and quotes use it.