Percentage Change Calculator
Compare an old value with a new one and get the percentage change, with a clear increase or decrease, the working and a formula for your spreadsheet.
- Instant results
- Step-by-step working
- Excel formula
- No sign-up
Percentage change
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Percentage difference
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Increase a number by a percentage
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Decrease a number by a percentage
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What is percentage change?
Percentage change measures how much a quantity has changed relative to its original value. It has a direction: positive for increases and negative for decreases. It is the standard way to report changes in prices, revenue, visitors, test scores and economic data, because it lets you compare a change of 5 units on 50 with a change of 500 units on 10,000.
How to use Percentage Change Calculator
- Enter the original (old) value first and the new value second in “Percentage change”.
- Read the signed result: + means an increase, − means a decrease.
- Use “Percentage difference” instead if neither value is the starting point.
- Open “Show working” to copy the steps or the Excel and Google Sheets formula.
Percent change vs percentage points vs percentage difference
- Percentage change = (New − Old) ÷ |Old| × 100
- Use when there is a clear before and after.
- Percentage points = New % − Old %
- An interest rate moving from 4% to 5% is up 1 percentage point, which is a 25% change.
- Percentage difference = |A − B| ÷ average(A, B) × 100
- Use to compare two values when neither is the reference, such as two shops’ prices.
- Changes don’t add up
- +10% then −10% gives 99% of the start, not 100%.
Why use this percentage change calculator
- Answers as you typeNo Calculate button and no page reloads. Change any number and the result updates instantly.
- Shows the workingEvery answer comes with the steps and a plain-English sentence, so you can check it or copy it into homework and reports.
- Spreadsheet formula includedCopy the matching Excel or Google Sheets formula and reuse the calculation on a whole column.
- Private and ad-free workspaceNumbers are calculated on your device. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Common uses
- Business reporting. Month-over-month and year-over-year revenue, costs and conversions.
- Investing. The return on a share price between purchase and today.
- Science and statistics. Relative change in a measurement between two trials.
- Everyday prices. How much more your rent, groceries or fuel cost than last year.
Need a different calculation? Try the percentage calculator, discount calculator or percentage change calculator, or generate numbers with the random number generator.
Example: year-over-year sales
Sales were $48,200 last year and $55,430 this year. In “Percentage change”, enter 48200 and 55430: sales grew by 15%. The difference is $7,230, and this year is 115% of last year. Copy =(55430-48200)/ABS(48200) into a sheet to reuse the formula.
What to expect from the result
Percentage change is undefined when the old value is 0. With a negative old value, this calculator divides by its absolute value so that a move from −50 to −25 reads as a +50% improvement. Some fields use other conventions; state yours in reports.
Percentage Change Calculator questions
How do you calculate percentage change?
Subtract the old value from the new value, divide by the absolute old value and multiply by 100. From 80 to 100: (100 − 80) ÷ 80 × 100 = +25%.
What is the difference between percentage change and percentage difference?
Percentage change compares a new value with an original one and has a direction. Percentage difference compares two values symmetrically against their average and is always positive.
What is a percentage point?
A percentage point is the simple difference between two percentages. From 4% to 5% is +1 percentage point but a 25% relative change.
Can percentage change be negative?
Yes. A negative percentage change is a decrease. From 100 to 75 is −25%.
How do I calculate percentage change in Excel?
Use =(B2-A2)/ABS(A2) with the old value in A2 and the new value in B2, then format as a percentage.