A $120 item at 30% off sells for $84 before tax, and $94.92 in Ontario once 13% HST is added. Put the original price, the discount and your province into this discount calculator and you’ll see what you’ll pay at the till.
How is the sale price worked out?
The first discount comes off the original price. If a second, extra discount applies to the sale price, that comes off next. Tax goes on last, charged on the reduced price. Checkouts work in the same order, so the total you see here shouldn’t stray far to your receipt.
What do common discounts cost in Ontario?
The table uses a $120 item with 13% HST, one discount at a time.
| Discount | Sale price | Final price with tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $108.00 | $122.04 |
| 20% | $96.00 | $108.48 |
| 25% | $90.00 | $101.70 |
| 30% | $84.00 | $94.92 |
| 40% | $72.00 | $81.36 |
| 50% | $60.00 | $67.80 |
Is 30% off plus 20% off the same as 50% off?
No. A jacket costs $120. The store takes 30% off, then adds an extra 20% off the sale price. The first step leaves $84.00, the second leaves $67.20, and you save $52.80 in all.
That’s 44%, not 50%. The second discount hits a smaller number, so it takes off less than 20% of the original price. Ontario HST on $67.20 is $8.74, which makes the final price $75.94.
Province changes the tax, never the sale price. The same $84.00 sale price comes to $88.20 in Alberta, $94.08 in British Columbia and $95.76 in Nova Scotia.
What the calculator gets wrong
Stacked discounts don’t add up, as the jacket showed. Watch out too for shops that show the price with tax already in it, because the calculator adds tax on top of whatever you enter.
Some items carry no sales tax, basic groceries for one, and the calculator can’t tell which, so it always applies the full rate, and coupons that cut the price after tax, gift cards and loyalty points are outside its reach as well. Enter the price from the shelf tag, never the total from the till.
How do I judge a deal before I buy?
Look at the final price, not the percentage on the sign. A deal of 25% off a $120 item leaves $90.00 before tax and $101.70 in Ontario. If a rival store sells the same item for $100 with tax already in the price, that one’s cheaper.
The same method settles a bigger discount on a pricier item against a small one on a cheaper item. Enter both, read the final price, and take the lower figure. Percent off only says something about the starting price, while the total is what’s leaving your account.
Where the numbers come from
The discount maths is plain multiplication: 30% off means the price times 0.70. Tax rates come from the sales tax table used across this site, such as 13% HST in Ontario and 5% GST in Alberta. The site has no connection with any government body or store.
To turn any percent into dollars, use the percentage calculator. The HST and GST calculator shows the tax on any price in every province. And where a province charges its own separate tax, the GST and PST calculator lists each line.
Frequently asked questions
How do I work out a sale price?
Multiply the original price by one minus the discount. For 30% off $120, that gives $84.00.
Is tax charged before or after the discount?
After. The calculator takes off the discount first and adds tax to the lower price.
Do two discounts add together?
No. 30% then 20% off $120 leaves $67.20, a total saving of 44%.
Why does my province matter?
Tax differs by province. An $84.00 sale price costs $94.92 in Ontario and $88.20 in Alberta.
Does it handle tax-free items?
No. It always applies the full rate, so it overstates the tax on things like basic groceries.
Sources and updates
Updated: . How we check rates · Editorial team · Updates
Estimate only. These figures are a planning estimate, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Tax-Services.ca is an independent publisher: we don't prepare or file tax returns, and we don't offer tax, legal or accounting services. We have no connection with the Canada Revenue Agency, Revenu Québec or any provincial government. Your real amounts depend on details this tool cannot see, so confirm them with an official source or a qualified professional before you act.