Percentage Increase Calculator
Track how much a value has grown or fallen by comparing the original amount with the current figure. Results update instantly, making it easy to test pricing changes, performance trends, or budgeting scenarios.
Use the baseline number you are comparing against, such as last month’s revenue or the original product price.
Enter the updated figure to compare against the baseline. The calculator highlights both the difference and the percentage shift.
Change summary
Percentage values are rounded to two decimals for easy sharing in reports and presentations.
How to interpret the results
- A positive percentage shows growth. Compare the absolute change with your targets to determine if the increase meets expectations.
- A negative value signals a decrease. Use it to diagnose shortfalls in revenue, engagement, or production output.
- Zero percent means the current and original values match. This is helpful when monitoring stability or forecasting steady scenarios.
- Run multiple scenarios quickly by tweaking either field. The calculator keeps previous inputs visible so you can iterate without losing context.
Change direction
Percentage formula used
((New value − Original value) ÷ Original value) × 100
Interpretation tip
Pair the percentage with the absolute change to communicate the size of the shift in both relative and real terms.
Table of Content
What Is a Percentage?
A percentage shows how much of a whole you have, out of 100. It’s a simple way to compare parts to a total. We write percentages with the % sign or with the word percent (for example, 35% or 35 percent). You can also express the same value as a decimal (0.35) or a fraction (35/100 = 7/20).
Key ideas
- Percent → Decimal: divide by 100. Example: 35% = 0.35.
- Decimal → Percent: multiply by 100. Example: 0.2 = 20%.
- Fraction → Percent: convert to decimal, then ×100. Example: 1/4 = 0.25 = 25%.
How to compute a percentage from a ratio
Form the ratio: part ÷ whole.
Multiply by 100 and add %.
Example: In a class, 25 out of 50 students are male.
Ratio = 25 ÷ 50 = 0.5 → 0.5 × 100 = 50%.
So, 50% of the class is male.
How to Calculate a Percentage Increase
Subtract the starting value from the final value.
Divide that result by the starting value (use its absolute value).
Multiply by 100 to turn it into a percent.
If the result is negative, it’s a percentage decrease, not an increase.
Simple formula: (Final−Start)÷∣Start∣×100(Final − Start) ÷ |Start| × 100(Final−Start)÷∣Start∣×100
Percentage Increase Formula
To see how much a value grows, use this easy rule.
Percentage Increase = ((Final − Start) ÷ |Start|) × 100.
Subtract the start from the final, divide by the start (absolute value), then multiply by 100.
If the result is below zero, it’s a decrease.
Example: Start 40, Final 50 → ((50−40) ÷ 40) × 100 = 25% increase.
Example: Find the Percentage Increase
Your jeans were $36 last year and are $45 this year.
Use the formula: Percentage Increase = ((Final − Start) ÷ Start) × 100.
Subtract: 45 − 36 = 9
Divide by the start: 9 ÷ 36 = 0.25
Convert to percent: 0.25 × 100 = 25%
Answer: The price rose by 25% from last year to this year.
Keywords: percentage increase, percent change, price increase calculator.
Real-World Uses of Percentage Increase
The percentage increase shows growth in context. A jump of $1,000,000 means very different things for a firm that earned $1,000,000 last year (100% surge) versus one that earned $100,000,000 (1% uptick). Relative change reveals pace and trend, not just size.
Where it matters
- Inflation: how today’s prices compare with 12 months ago.
- Salary growth: year-over-year pay gains—ideally above inflation.
- Population change: the speed a city or country grows (or shrinks).
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Documentation for this tool is being prepared. Please check back later or visit our full API documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Percentage increase shows how fast something grows compared to its starting size, so it’s great for fair comparisons across different data sets. Two changes can add the same amount but grow at very different rates: from 1 to 51 adds 50, which is a 5000% increase; from 50 to 100 also adds 50, but that’s only 100%. The percent view highlights true growth, not just the raw difference—making it the clearest way to compare performance, prices, traffic, or profits over time.
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- Find the percent change.
- If you don’t already know it, subtract the initial value from the final value, divide by the absolute value of the initial, then multiply by 100.
- Percent change = ((Final − Initial) ÷ |Initial|) × 100
- Convert to a rate per unit of time.
- Divide the percent change by the time span between the two measurements (years, months, days, etc.).
- Percent increase per time = (Percent change) ÷ (Time period)
- Use the rate for quick estimates.
- For roughly linear trends, multiply the rate by any time gap to estimate the percent change over that gap.
- For non-linear trends, compute the percent change directly from your values or model at the two times you care about.
Notes: Your final units are % per time (e.g., % per year). Keep time units consistent to get clear, comparable results.
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- Find the increase. Multiply the original number by the percentage (as a decimal).
- Example: 120 × 0.18 = 21.6.
- Add it to the original. 120 + 21.6 = 141.6.
One-line shortcut: New value = Original × (1 + %/100)
Example: 120 × (1 + 18/100) = 141.6.
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Fast way: multiply the number by 1.05. Example: 200 × 1.05 = 210.
Steps: 1) Find 5% → number × 0.05. 2) Add it back → number + that result. Formula: New = Number × 1.05.
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- Same base? Add the rates. If both percentages apply to the same number, add them, then apply once.
- Example: 30% + 20% of $200 → 50% of $200 = $100.
- Different bases? Add the results, not the rates.
- Find the first part: Base₁ × (Percent₁ ÷ 100).
- Find the second part: Base₂ × (Percent₂ ÷ 100).
- Add the two amounts for the total.
- Stacked increases on the same amount? Multiply, don’t add.
- Example: Up 10% then up 20% on $100 → $100 × 1.10 × 1.20 = $132 (not 30% = $130).
Quick formulas
- Same base: Total% = P₁ + P₂ → Result = Base × (Total% ÷ 100)
- Different bases: Result = Base₁×P₁/100 + Base₂×P₂/100
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To add 10% to a number, multiply it by 1.10 (example: 250 × 1.10 = 275).
Or find 10% with number × 0.10 and add it back: new value = number + (number × 0.10).
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Pick a number and a percent, then compute: result = number × (percent ÷ 100).
Example: 80 at 15% → 80 × 0.15 = 12 (so 15% of 80 is 12).
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A 50% increase means adding half of the original value: new value = original × 1.5.
Example: 80 × 1.5 = 120 (50% more than 80); by contrast, a 100% increase doubles the number (80 × 2 = 160).
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Percent change shows how much a value goes up or down, written as a percent. It’s handy for comparing two points in time, like revenue this year vs. last year or a product’s old price vs. new price. If the result is positive, it’s a percentage increase; if negative, it’s a percentage decrease.
Method 1 (step-by-step):
- Difference = Ending − Beginning
- Percent change = (Difference ÷ Beginning) × 100
Method 2 (quick):
Percent change = ((Ending ÷ Beginning) − 1) × 100
Keep units consistent, and you’ll get a clear “up” or “down” rate you can compare at a glance.
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To add 20% to a number, multiply it by 1.20.
Example: 250 × 1.20 = 300.
Or use steps: find 20% (number × 0.20) and add it back: new value = number + (number × 0.20).