Calculate your break-even point
Find how many units you need to sell to cover fixed and variable costs. Use costs and sales from the same period, such as one month.
Calculations run in your browser. The amounts you enter are not uploaded or stored by this tool.
How it works
- Enter fixed costs for your chosen period.
- Enter selling price and variable cost for one unit, in the same currency.
- Read the exact break-even threshold and the whole units needed, then copy your result.
The break-even formula
Contribution per unit = selling price − variable cost per unit. Break-even units = fixed costs ÷ contribution. With fixed costs of 1,000, selling price of 25 and variable cost of 10, contribution is 15 and the threshold is 66.666667 units. You need 67 whole units, generating 1,675 revenue and 5 profit.
When there is no positive contribution
If selling price equals or is below variable cost, each sale fails to contribute toward fixed costs. This calculator reports no viable break-even point even if fixed costs are zero. With positive contribution and zero fixed costs, the break-even point is zero units.
Keep the assumptions consistent
The model assumes a single product, a constant selling price and constant variable cost per unit, and all produced units sold. Fixed costs must match the sales period. It excludes taxes, financing costs and changing volume discounts unless you include them in the inputs. Whole-unit rounding uses the entered decimal amounts to avoid floating-point errors at an integer boundary; monetary results are estimates, not bookkeeping records.
Worked examples
| Fixed costs | Price per unit | Variable cost per unit | Whole units | Revenue at whole units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000.00 | 25.00 | 10.00 | 67 | 1,675.00 |
| 3,000.00 | 50.00 | 20.00 | 100 | 5,000.00 |
| 0.00 | 10.00 | 4.00 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 100.00 | 12.00 | 5.00 | 15 | 180.00 |
Frequently asked questions
Why are whole units rounded up?
You normally cannot sell a fraction of one product. A threshold of 66.666667 means 66 units leave a loss, so 67 whole units are needed.
Is the revenue shown the exact break-even revenue?
It is the sales revenue at the rounded-up whole-unit quantity. It can exceed the exact threshold and produce a small profit.
What counts as fixed or variable cost?
Fixed costs stay unchanged within the sales range, such as a monthly rent. Variable costs change with each unit, such as materials or a per-sale fee. Use a consistent period and business assumption.
What calculation limits apply?
Inputs can range from zero to one trillion. Thresholds above one trillion units or revenues above the safe integer range are rejected. Currency selection labels results without converting amounts.
Sources
Last reviewed: October 16, 2026
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