Break-even calculator
Fixed costs, price and variable cost, as units to break even.
FreeRuns in your browserNo signupUpdated 2026-10-29
Break-even units per month
223
$10,000 in revenue
Profit at expected sales
$2,100
300 units · margin of safety 26%
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Contribution per unit (price − variable cost) | $27 |
| Contribution margin ratio | 60.0% |
| Units for $3,000 monthly profit | 334 |
| Break-even units per day (30-day month) | 7.4 |
| Price change | New price | Break-even units |
|---|---|---|
| -10% | $40.5 | 267 |
| Current | $45 | 223 |
| +10% | $49.5 | 191 |
| +20% | $54 | 167 |
For services, treat a unit as one billable hour or one project. Margin of safety is how far sales can fall before you make a loss.
About this tool
How it works and how to read the result.
Need this done for you?
E-commerce development
Online stores on Shopify, WooCommerce or a custom stack.
See the serviceWhat it does
A break even calculator tells you how many units you must sell before you stop losing money. Enter your fixed costs for the month, the selling price per unit and the variable cost of each unit. The page works out the contribution each sale makes towards fixed costs, the number of units and revenue needed to break even, the units needed for a target profit, and the profit or loss at the sales you expect. A small table shows how a price change moves the break-even point. It runs in your browser.
How to use it
- Add up every cost that stays the same regardless of sales and enter it as fixed costs.
- Enter the selling price and the direct cost of one unit.
- Enter the profit you want each month and the units you expect to sell.
- Read the break-even units and the profit at expected sales.
- Use the price table to see whether a small price change beats cutting costs.
How to read the result
With $6,000 of fixed costs, a $45 price and an $18 variable cost, each sale contributes $27, a contribution margin of 60%. Break-even is 6,000 divided by 27, so 223 units a month, or about $10,000 of revenue. Reaching $3,000 of profit needs 334 units. If you expect to sell 300, the month shows $2,100 of profit and a margin of safety of about 26%.
The price table shows how much pricing matters. A 10% rise to $49.50 lifts the contribution to $31.50 and cuts break-even to 191 units, 32 fewer. A 10% cut raises it to 267. Pricing changes move break-even faster than most cost cuts because every unit is affected.
If the page shows Never, the variable cost is at or above the price and each sale loses money. No volume fixes that; the price or the unit cost has to change.
We set up the product costing and reporting behind these numbers in e-commerce development projects. For the margin side of pricing, see the profit margin calculator.
Questions
Frequently asked.
What is the difference between fixed and variable costs?
Fixed costs stay the same whatever you sell in the month: rent, salaries, software subscriptions, loan repayments. Variable costs rise with every unit: materials, packaging, shipping, payment processing fees, sales commission. If a cost is hard to classify, ask whether it would disappear if you sold nothing this month.
How do I use this for a service business?
Treat a unit as one billable hour, one session or one project. The price is what you charge for it, and the variable cost is what each one costs you directly, such as a contractor's time or materials. Fixed costs are your monthly overhead. The result is the number of hours or projects you need each month.
What is the margin of safety?
How far sales can fall from what you expect before you make a loss, as a percentage of expected sales. A margin of 25% means you can lose a quarter of your sales and still cover costs. A thin margin of safety is a sign to cut fixed costs or raise prices.
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