Tip Calculator
This tip calculator works out the tip and the total for any bill in seconds. Enter the amount, pick a tip percentage and, if you are eating with friends, the number of people. You'll see the tip, the total, what each person owes and, if you like, a total or per-person share rounded up to the next whole dollar so nobody has to deal with cents.
Updated
Results
- Total with tip
- Per personShown when splitting between 2 or more people
- Tip per personEach person's share of the tip
Results are estimates. See the methodology below.
How to use the tip calculator
- Bill amount: type the amount on the check. Decide whether you tip on the subtotal before sales tax or on the final total; both are common, so use whichever you prefer.
- Tip percentage: starts at 18%. Change it to any value from 0 to 100.
- Number of people: leave it at 1 for a single check. With 2 or more, the results add the amount per person and the tip per person.
- Advanced options – rounding: keep exact cents, round the total up to the next whole dollar, or round each person's share up to the next whole dollar.
Results update as you type. The per-person lines appear only when you split the bill between two or more people.
How the tip is calculated
The calculator multiplies the bill by the tip rate and adds it to the bill:
Total = Bill × (1 + Tip % ÷ 100)
The total is rounded to the cent. If you choose rounding, the total is then raised to the next whole dollar, or each share is raised to the next whole dollar and multiplied back by the number of people. The tip is always recalculated as Total − Bill, so when you round up, the extra cents go to the tip and the effective tip rate ends up slightly above the percentage you entered.
Splitting assumes everyone pays an equal share. If people ordered very different amounts, run the calculator once per person with their own subtotal.
Examples
1. Comparing 15%, 18% and 20%
| Bill | Tip rate | Tip | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| $85.00 | 15% | $12.75 | $97.75 |
| $85.00 | 18% | $15.30 | $100.30 |
| $85.00 | 20% | $17.00 | $102.00 |
2. Dinner for four
A $142.50 check with a 20% tip comes to $171.00: a $28.50 tip, or $42.75 per person, of which $7.13 is each person's share of the tip. If you round each share up to the next dollar, everyone pays $43.00, the total becomes $172.00 and the tip rises to $29.50.
3. Rounding the total
On a $64.30 bill at 18%, rounding the total up gives $76.00, which means a $11.70 tip instead of the exact $11.57.
Tipping in the United States
For table service at sit-down restaurants, 15% to 20% of the bill is the range most often cited. Actual behavior varies: in a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, 57% of U.S. adults said they would leave 15% or less for an average meal at a sit-down restaurant, and only about a quarter said 20% or more. Tipping remains voluntary, and amounts differ by region, type of service and how satisfied you are.
One reason tips matter in the U.S. is pay structure. Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, employers may pay tipped workers a cash wage as low as $2.13 an hour as long as tips bring them up to the $7.25 federal minimum wage; many states set higher minimums.
Frequently asked questions
Should I tip on the total before or after sales tax?
There is no rule. Many people tip on the pre-tax subtotal because tax is not part of the service; others tip on the final total for simplicity. The difference is small: on a $100 subtotal with 8% tax, a 20% tip is $20.00 before tax and $21.60 after.
Is a service charge the same as a tip?
No. A mandatory service charge added by the restaurant, often for large parties, is not considered a tip under the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the business decides how it is distributed. Check your receipt so you don't add a tip on top of a service charge by mistake, unless you mean to.
How do I split a bill with a tip?
Enter the full bill, the tip percentage and the number of people. The calculator shows the amount per person. To avoid coins, choose to round each share up to the next whole dollar; the extra goes to the tip.
How much do people tip for takeout or counter service?
Practices vary much more for takeout, coffee counters and tablet prompts than for table service, and many people tip less or nothing. Use the calculator with whatever percentage you decide on; a tip screen's suggested amounts are only suggestions.
Are tips taxable for the worker?
Tips are income and must be reported. Starting with 2025 returns, eligible workers can deduct up to $25,000 a year in qualified tips, voluntary tips in listed occupations, with the deduction phasing out above $150,000 of modified adjusted gross income ($300,000 for joint filers). See the IRS guidance for details.
Why is my tip a little higher than the percentage I entered?
That happens when you round up. The calculator raises the total or each share to the next whole dollar and counts the difference as tip, so the effective rate is slightly above the one you typed.
Sources
This calculator gives arithmetic estimates only. How much to tip is your personal choice, and tax treatment of tips depends on your situation.