Tip Calculator

What Is a Tip Calculator?

A tip calculator does the awkward end-of-meal math for you. Type in the bill, choose how much you want to leave, and it shows the tip and the total. If you're eating with a group, add the number of people and it tells you what each person owes, tip included. No squinting at the receipt while the server waits.

It works for more than restaurants. Bar tabs, coffee shops, food delivery, taxis, haircuts and spa visits all come down to the same thing: a percentage of a bill.

How to Calculate a Tip (Formula)

A tip is a percentage of your bill, so the math is one multiplication.

• Tip = Bill × (Tip % ÷ 100)
• Total = Bill + Tip
• Each person pays = Total ÷ Number of people

Bill is the amount you're tipping on. That's usually the subtotal before tax, or the full total if you'd rather keep it simple. Tip % is whatever you decide to leave.

Here's a shortcut. Multiply the bill by 1.20 and you get the total with a 20% tip already added. Use 1.18 for 18% and 1.15 for 15%.

How to Use CalciHub's Tip Calculator

1. Enter the bill amount.
2. Pick a tip percentage from 10% to 25%, or tap Custom and type your own.
3. Enter how many people are splitting the bill. Leave it at 1 if you're paying alone.
4. Read the tip, the total and the per-person amount in the Bill Summary and Split Bill boxes.

Tip: if you want to tip on the pre-tax amount only, enter your subtotal instead of the final total. Just remember the total shown then won't include tax.

A Quick Example

Emma and three friends have dinner in San Francisco. The bill comes to $148, and they decide to leave 20% for great service and split everything evenly.

The tip is $29.60, which brings the total to $177.60. With four people sharing, each person pays $44.40. Nobody has to do the math in their head, argue about rounding, or awkwardly guess.

Tip Amounts at a Glance

Need a quick number? Here's what common tips look like on a few round bills.

• On a $25 bill: 15% is $3.75, 18% is $4.50, 20% is $5.00 and 25% is $6.25.
• On a $50 bill: 15% is $7.50, 18% is $9.00, 20% is $10.00 and 25% is $12.50.
• On a $100 bill: 15% is $15, 18% is $18, 20% is $20 and 25% is $25.

Should You Tip on the Tax?

Your receipt usually shows a subtotal, then the tax, then the total. The traditional way is to base the tip on the subtotal, the amount before tax. Plenty of people tip on the full total instead because it's quicker.

The difference is small. On a $100 meal with 8% tax, a 20% tip on the subtotal is $20.00. On the $108 total, it's $21.60. Neither is wrong, so go with whatever feels right to you.

How to Split a Bill With a Tip

Add the tip first, then divide. If you divide first and think about the tip later, it's easy to end up with a tip nobody actually paid for.

Say the bill is $150 and you're leaving 20%. The tip is $30, so the total is $180. Split three ways, that's $60 each.

If everyone ordered very different amounts, an even split can feel unfair. In that case, work out each person's own subtotal, apply the same tip percentage to it, and add their share of the tax.

How to Work Out a Tip in Your Head

Move the decimal point one place to the left and you've found 10%. Build from there.

• For 20%: double the 10%.
• For 15%: take the 10%, then add half of it.

On a $43 bill, 10% is $4.30. So 20% is $8.60 and 15% is $6.45. If the bill is something awkward like $17.73, round it to $18 first. Nobody is checking your math to the cent.

How Much Should You Tip?

Tipping customs change a lot from place to place, so treat this as a starting point rather than a rule.

• Sit-down restaurants. In the United States, 15% to 20% is the usual range for table service, and many people go higher when the service is excellent.
• Counter service and coffee shops. Tips here are usually smaller, often 10% to 15% or a dollar or two, and entirely up to you.
• Delivery, rideshares, salons and bars. There's no single number. Many people start somewhere around 10% to 20% and adjust for the service they got.
• Outside the US. Some restaurants add a service charge to the bill automatically, so check your receipt before adding more. In some countries, Japan for example, tipping isn't expected and can even feel awkward. If you're travelling, a quick look at local custom is worth it.

Frequently Asked Questions