Wholesale Margin Calculator
Work out margin, markup, and retail price from cost and price inputs.
Calculator
Use this calculator to estimate wholesale margin, markup, and retail price from your product cost and selling price. Enter the cost you pay, the wholesale price you charge a buyer, and the retail price the buyer may tag on the shelf. The outputs show the core formulas so you can verify each result before you use it in pricing sheets, catalog work, or a markup calculator check.
- Margin uses selling price minus cost. If wholesale price is below cost, the result is negative and the spread needs review.
- Markup uses cost as the base. That is why markup and margin are not the same figure.
- Retail price is optional for the core margin math, but it helps when you want to compare your wholesale price with shelf pricing.
How the formula works
Wholesale margin starts with two numbers: your cost and your selling price. Subtract cost from wholesale price to get gross margin in dollars. Divide that margin by wholesale price to get margin percent. This shows how much of each sales dollar remains after product cost.
Markup uses a different base. Subtract cost from wholesale price, then divide by cost. That gives markup percent. A markup calculator is useful when you start from landed cost and want to see the selling price needed to reach a target spread. The same logic applies if you compare retail price and wholesale price.
If you also enter retail price, you can measure the step from wholesale to shelf. That does not change wholesale margin, but it helps you see how far the buyer’s resale price sits above your invoice price. Use the calculator as a check on your price list, case pack math, and promotional planning.
Frequently asked questions
What is wholesale margin?
Wholesale margin is the amount left after you subtract product cost from the wholesale price. The percent form uses wholesale price as the base. That makes margin different from markup, which uses cost as the base.
How is markup different from margin?
Markup measures the increase over cost. Margin measures the share of selling price left after cost. If cost is the base, you are looking at markup. If selling price is the base, you are looking at margin.
Do I need retail price to use this calculator?
No. Cost and wholesale price are enough for the core margin and markup outputs. Retail price is useful when you want to compare your invoice price with the shelf price a buyer may use.
Can I use this as a markup calculator?
Yes. The same inputs show markup percent as well as margin percent. If you only need markup, focus on the cost and wholesale price fields and ignore the retail price field.
Next step
You can review plan limits before you move product data into a live workspace.
More tools and guides
Sources
- [1]BoxNCase Free plan costs $0 per month. BoxNCase pricing (captured 2026-10-11)
- [2]BoxNCase Free plan includes up to 200 SKUs. BoxNCase pricing (captured 2026-10-11)
- [3]BoxNCase Starter plan costs $79 per month ($768 per year billed annually). BoxNCase pricing (captured 2026-10-11)
Last reviewed 2026-10-11. Results are estimates; confirm with your own cost data.