How this calculator works
- Step 1Original price₹1,000.00This is the starting price before either offer.
- Step 2After the first discount₹800.00The first saving is taken off the original.
- Step 3After the extra discount₹720.00The next percentage applies to what remains.
Each percentage discount reduces the current price. An extra discount starts from that smaller amount. The combined discount is the total saving divided by the original price, not the sum of the advertised percentages.
The tool accepts up to three successive percentage reductions. Set unused stages to zero. The receipt always shows all three stages so you can check which price each offer uses.
Worked example: a double discount
- Each stage
saving = current price × discount ÷ 100- Price left
next price = current price − saving- Equivalent combined discount
(original − final) ÷ original × 100
- priceOriginal price ₹1,000.00
- firstFirst discount 20%
- extraExtra discount 10%
- Price after stage 1₹1,000.00 − ₹200.00₹800.00
- Price after stage 2₹800.00 − ₹80.00₹720.00
- Price after stage 3₹720.00 − ₹0.00₹720.00
- Total money saved₹280.00
- Effective combined percentage28%
The first percentage takes money off the original price. The extra percentage takes money off the reduced price. The final row expresses both savings together as one percentage of the original.
Why adding percentages gives the wrong answer
- Only the first discount₹800.00Saving: 20% of the original.
- First plus extra discount₹720.00Saving: 28% of the original.
- Half price, then half again₹250.00Saving: 75%, not a free item.
Multiplying the fractions left after each stage gives the final fraction payable. Mathematically, switching percentage-discount order does not change the final price. It does change which stage appears to save more money because its starting base changes.
Retailer terms can make order matter in practice. An offer might exclude already-discounted products, apply only above a threshold, or cap the saving. This calculator does not apply those conditions automatically.
Read the result before comparing offers
Price after discounts is the remaining item price. Total saved is the difference from the original. Combined discount puts that saving on the original-price base, making a single discount easier to compare with a stack.
The displayed price is not a complete checkout total. Shipping, taxes and other fees can change what you pay. For GST arithmetic, use the linked GST calculator with a rate you have verified for the transaction.
Assumptions and rounding
Enter an original price from one paisa to one trillion rupees. Each discount can range from zero to one hundred percent. A full discount leaves a zero price, so later percentages save nothing further.
No intermediate rounding is applied. Displayed amounts round to two decimals, so adding displayed receipt lines can differ by a paisa from the final displayed saving. A retailer that rounds after every stage may produce a different total.
This tool covers percentage discounts only. Fixed-rupee coupons, cashback paid later, buy-one-get-one offers, taxes, shipping and minimum-spend eligibility are outside its calculation.
Common discount mistakes
Mistake: Add stacked percentages as if they shared the original base.
Instead: Apply each percentage to the amount remaining after the last stage.
Mistake: Enter a rupee coupon in a percentage field.
Instead: Use only percentage reductions here; check fixed-price adjustments separately.
Mistake: Assume every advertised offer can be combined.
Instead: Read eligibility, caps and stacking rules before using the estimate.
Mistake: Treat rounded receipt values as exact intermediate prices.
Instead: Expect a possible paise difference when the retailer rounds at each stage.
Related pricing tools
Stacked discounts multiply, so 20% and then 10% off is 28% off, not 30%.
To compare pack sizes by price per gram or ml, use the unit price calculator. The GST calculator adds or removes tax, and the percentage calculator handles other percent changes.
Checking the method
The method repeats OpenStax’s discount equation for each stage. Golden tests compare handwritten subtraction with independent integer-ratio products. Property tests check price conservation, scaling and discount-order invariance. Sources and review details are listed below.
Read how we test our calculators, or browse more money calculators.