Break-Even Calculator
Enter fixed costs for a chosen period, the selling price per unit and the variable cost per unit. Keep every entry on the same basis, such as one month of costs and revenue.
Enter your values to see an estimate. Enter 0 for amounts that do not apply.
How this calculator works
Contribution margin per unit equals price minus variable unit cost. Break-even units equal fixed costs divided by that margin, rounded up to a whole unit. Revenue is those units multiplied by price.
Worked example
With 1,000 in fixed costs, a price of 30 and variable costs of 12 per unit, the contribution margin is 18. Selling 56 whole units produces revenue of 1,680 and covers the fixed costs.
Assumptions and limits
Zero fixed costs require zero units to cover those costs. With positive fixed costs, no reachable break-even is reported when contribution margin is zero or negative, or when the required whole-unit count exceeds numeric precision. Assumes constant price, variable cost and fixed costs; excludes unentered taxes and capacity constraints.
How to choose your inputs
Choose one operating period, such as a month, and enter fixed costs for that period. Use price and variable cost for the same saleable unit, including costs that rise with each additional unit. Keep one-time startup spending distinct unless you deliberately allocate it to the selected period; otherwise the unit target answers a different question.
How to interpret your result
The whole-unit target covers entered fixed costs only under constant price and unit cost. Check whether demand and capacity can support that volume. A zero fixed-cost input needs zero units to cover those costs, but it does not establish a profitable business; unentered costs and changes in price or margin can change the outcome.
Primary references
This educational estimate uses your inputs. It is not individualized financial, tax, insurance, or investment advice, a lender offer, approval decision, or a promise of future results.
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