Break-even calculator

How it works

1. 1 Say what you sell: a coffee, a haircut, an hour of work. Give your usual price before tax and what one costs you to make or do.
2. 2 List the costs that come every month whatever you sell: rent, wages, insurance, the loan. Add what you want to pay yourself.
3. 3 Pick the days you open. The answer is how many sales a month, and a day, pay the bills, then pay you too.
4. 4 “Your profit day” lays that over a real month: the day the bills are paid, the day your pay is made, and the days after that are profit. Try the sliders to see what a small price change would do.

Free, with no account. Everything is worked out in your browser: your price, costs and every figure stay on this device and are never sent to us. Remember is off unless you turn it on, and then keeps your figures on this device only. The made-up example is never kept.

Good to know

Why prices before tax?

The GST/HST you collect isn't yours to spend on rent. Leave it out of the price, and out of the costs if you claim it back, so the sums only count money that's really yours.

Is my pay a cost or profit?

Both views are useful, so you get both. “Pays the bills” is the line where the business stops losing money. “Pays you too” adds what you need to live on. If you draw from the business, the second is the number to beat.

What about income tax?

It's all before income tax. Tax comes off the profit, so set part of what's left aside. The tax set-aside tool can help with how much.

The card fee

Card payments cost a small share of each sale. Put in the rate on your statement (fees plus any monthly charge, divided by what went through cards) and it comes off every sale. Leave it blank if you'd rather not count it.

Why do months differ?

The monthly answer uses an average month, 52 weeks over 12. A real month has 26, 27 or more open days, so the calendar shows when that month's bills are paid at your usual pace. Tap a day to close it or open it, for a holiday or a market day.

Guidance, not financial advice.