Break even calculator

Type fixed costs, selling price per unit, and unit cost. 5000, 50, and 30 give 20 per unit and 250 units to zero. A unit threshold, not payback months and not a margin percent.

Profit per unit: gross profit. Months to recover: payback period. Price from margin: price from margin.

Inputs

Optional extras

Result

Enter a value. The result shows up here.

How it works

Break-even in units is fixed costs divided by profit per unit, rounded up. Profit per unit is price minus unit cost. 5000, 50, and 30 give 20 per unit and 250 units, because 5000 / 20 = 250 exactly. 4500 at 45 and 30 is 15 per unit and 300 units. 3000, 25, and 10 give 200.

A fraction of a unit does not leave the shelf, so 250.1 goes to 251. If price does not beat cost, every unit deepens the loss and break-even is unreachable. Fixed costs of zero give a 0-unit threshold: there is nothing to cover. This is one product, one price, one cost. A SKU mix and discounts stay outside.

Those 20 per unit at 50 and 30 are 40% margin and about 67% markup. The result is the cash on the second tile, not that percent. If you first want a price for a 25% margin at cost 30, open price from margin: 30 / 0.75 = 40, then come back with 40 and 30. A 25% markup on 30 would be 37.50 and a different unit count.

An optional profit target adds to fixed costs before the divide. 5000 plus 1000 at 20 per unit is 300 units to the target. Monthly demand divides threshold units by sales and shows how many even months it takes to reach zero. 250 units at 50 a month is 5.0 months.

Units are units. The 20 per unit uses the currency of the price. A comma in 50.5 works. Skip thousand spaces in 5000.

Payback divides outlay by monthly profit and leaves months, not units. Gross profit computes the 20 alone. Price from margin sets 50 when you know 30 and a percent.

How to use

  1. In fixed costs, type rent, pay, and the rest of the period, for example 5000. That is the currency of price and cost.
  2. Type unit price and unit cost, for example 50 and 30. Price must be higher, or there is nothing to divide by.
  3. Click Calculate. 5000, 50, and 30 give 250 units and 20 per unit. 12000, 80, and 50 give 400.
  4. Leave the profit target empty when you want zero alone. 1000 on 5000 and 20 per unit lifts the threshold to 300 units.
  5. Leave monthly demand empty if you do not want months. 50 units at a 250 threshold shows 5.0 months.

Formula

units = ceil(fixed costs / (price − unit cost))

Price > unit cost. Fixed ≥ 0. Ceil, because you cannot sell a fraction of a unit.

Fixed costs, price, and units to zero

Units = ceil(fixed / (price − cost)). 5000, 50, and 30 give 20 per unit and 250 units. Price must be higher.

Fixed
Fixed costs. 5000 at 20 per unit is 250 units. Typed 0 gives 0 units, because there is nothing to cover.
price
Selling price per unit. At cost 30 it must be higher. 50 and 30 give 20 per unit.
units
The threshold after ceil. 250.1 goes to 251. A 1000 target at 5000 and 20 per unit lifts the threshold to 300.

Real-life examples

Example 1

5000 / (50-30) -> 250 units.

Example 2

10000 / (100-60) -> 250 units.

Example 3

3000 / (25-10) -> 200 units.

Example 4

12000 / (80-50) -> 400 units.

Example 5

4500 / (45-30) -> 300 units.

Example 6

8000 / (40-20) -> 400 units.

Example 7

2000 / (15-5) -> 200 units.

Example 8

6000 / (100-70) -> 200 units.

Ways to use this calculator

  • You check how many units at 50 and cost 30 must move before 5000 of fixed costs stop eating those 20 per unit.
  • You compare a higher price with a lower cost: both cut the threshold, but they feel different in your head as margin and markup.

Related calculators

Margin on selling price
Margin as a percent of the selling price.
Mark-up on purchase cost
Mark-up as a percent of the purchase cost.
Price from a target margin
Selling price from a target margin.
Price from a target mark-up
Selling price from a target mark-up.
Gross profit, price minus cost
Profit in money: price minus cost.
Hourly labor cost calculator
Employer cost of one hour of work.

All business calculators

Frequently asked questions

How many units from 5000, 50, and 30?

250. Contribution per unit is 20. 10000, 100, and 60 also give 250. 3000, 25, and 10 give 200.

Why does 250.1 go to 251?

We round up. You cannot sell half a unit. 4500 / 15 = 300 exactly, so 300 stays 300.

What if price 30 equals cost 30?

There is no profit per unit and no threshold. Every unit leaves zero or a loss. Price must be higher.

Do fixed costs of 0 give 0 units?

Yes. There is nothing to cover. An empty fixed field is not zero: type 0 yourself if that is what you want.

How does a 25% margin at cost 30 change a 5000 threshold?

Price from margin gives 40. Then 5000 / (40 − 30) = 500 units. A 25% markup on 30 is price 37.50 and 667 units after ceil.

How does a 1000 target enter 5000 and 20 per unit?

Numerator 6000, threshold 300 units. Plain zero stays 250 on the first card.

How many months at demand 50 and a 250 threshold?

5.0. Demand must be positive. That is an even pace, not a seasonal calendar.

Is 20 per unit at 50 and 30 a 25% markup?

No. 20 / 30 is about 67% markup and 40% margin. A 25% markup on 30 would be 7.50 per unit and another price.

Does a comma in 50.5 work?

Yes. 5000 / (50.5 − 30) rounds up. Do not put a space in 5 000.

How is this different from payback?

Here you get units to cover fixed costs. There you divide outlay by monthly profit and get months.

Knowledge sources

Break-even is fixed costs over unit profit from your amounts. This is not a sales forecast.

Page updated in 2026.