How to use this business & freelance hub
Business calculators are where abstract planning meets a concrete number. Whether you are pricing a product, pitching a contract rate, or checking whether a new hire pencils out, the difference between a gut-feel answer and a spreadsheet-backed one is usually the margin between a profitable decision and a painful lesson.
The tools in this hub cover the core day-to-day operating questions: what to charge, what a sale actually earns you, when you break even, and how much a team member really costs once employer NI, pension and overheads are added in. For limited-company directors and contractors, there is also IR35 status modelling and the dividend-vs-salary optimisation that determines how much of your profit reaches your personal bank account.
These are first-line decision-support tools, not substitutes for proper accounting software. They are at their most useful before you commit — setting an hourly rate for a new engagement, reviewing whether a volume discount still leaves margin, or testing the cash-flow impact of a slow-paying client. Once you have a direction, move the final numbers into Xero, FreeAgent, or QuickBooks for formal tracking.
Start with Profit Margin or Break-Even if you are pricing a product, Hourly Rate if you are quoting your time, and Employee Cost if you are scoping a hire. Limited-company directors should pair the Dividend vs Salary tool with the IR35 Calculator to confirm the tax implications of each engagement. Every tool shows its formula — use it as a sanity check rather than a source of truth, and verify the final figures with your accountant.
Most popular calculators
Start with the tools people usually need first, then move into the grouped sections below for more specific scenarios.
Profit Margin Calculator
Calculate gross, operating and net profit margins from revenue and cost figures. See how efficiently your business converts sales into profit at each level.
Break-Even Calculator
Calculate units or revenue needed to cover all costs and break even. Enter fixed costs, variable costs per unit and selling price to find your break-even point.
Hourly Rate Calculator
Employee Cost Calculator
Guides that support this category
Use these editorial guides when you need more context before choosing the right calculator.
Profit Margin vs Break-Even Calculator: What Every Business Needs to Know
Understand the difference between profit margin and break-even analysis for business planning.
8 min read
Business Owner Calculators
Manage business finances with profit margin, break-even, VAT, and business tax calculators.
11 min read
Salary Calculator vs Hourly Pay: Convert and Compare
Learn how to compare annual salary to hourly pay and understand the true value of your compensation.
7 min read
Pricing and margin
Tools for setting prices, calculating markups and margin, and working out the true cost to produce.
Profit Margin Calculator
Calculate gross, operating and net profit margins from revenue and cost figures. See how efficiently your business converts sales into profit at each level.
Markup Calculator
Calculate the selling price and profit margin from cost and markup percentage. Find the right markup to hit your target profit on any product.
Cost Per Unit Calculator
Calculate the cost per unit of any product by dividing total costs by quantity produced. Use this to set competitive prices and maintain healthy profit margins.
Break-Even Calculator
Calculate units or revenue needed to cover all costs and break even. Enter fixed costs, variable costs per unit and selling price to find your break-even point.
Break Even Analysis
Find the break-even point where revenue covers total costs. Enter fixed costs, variable costs and unit price to see how many sales you need to profit.
Contractor + director finances
For limited companies and consulting: hourly rates, IR35 status, and the dividend-vs-salary split.
Hourly Rate Calculator
Calculate the minimum hourly rate you need to charge as a freelancer to hit your income goal.
IR35 Calculator
Calculate take-home pay inside IR35. See how much you keep from your contract rate after PAYE tax and NI.
Dividend vs Salary Calculator
Calculate the most tax-efficient salary and dividend split for limited company directors.
Employee Cost Calculator
Calculate the true total cost of an employee including employer NI, pension contributions and benefits.
Day-to-day operations
Invoicing, VAT, and the cash-flow models you lean on to keep the business liquid.
Invoice Totals Calculator
Calculate invoice totals including subtotal, VAT and discounts applied. Quickly work out what to charge clients and produce accurate figures for your invoices.
VAT Calculator
Calculate VAT at the standard, reduced or zero UK rate. Add VAT to a net price or remove VAT from a gross price to find the correct tax amount quickly.
Cash Flow Calculator
Calculate net cash flow by totalling inflows and outflows. Track whether your business or household generates a positive or negative cash position each period.