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How to calculate profit margin percentage in Excel and Google Sheets
Topic:PercentagesHeads up: Excel and Google Sheets do this differently.
Excel
=((B2-A2)/A2)*100Google Sheets
=ARRAYFORMULA(((B2:B3-A2:A3)/A2:A3)*100)✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Cost Price | Selling Price | Profit Margin % |
| 100 | 150 | |
| 200 | 250 |
=((B2-A2)/A2)*100→50
Try it with your data
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Step by step
- 1Enter your cost price in column A and your selling price in column B.
- 2In cell C2, enter the formula to calculate the profit margin percentage.
- 3Copy the formula down to apply it to other rows.
Tips
- Ensure your cost and selling prices are entered as numbers without currency symbols.
- The formula provided assumes that the cost price is always less than or equal to the selling price.
- In Google Sheets, use ARRAYFORMULA for automatic application across multiple rows.
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Frequently asked
What if my cost price is higher than my selling price?
The formula will return a negative value, indicating a loss.
Can I format the result as a percentage?
Yes, select the cell with the formula and change the number format to Percentage.
Do these formulas work with different currencies?
Yes, but ensure all values are in the same currency before calculation.
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