Business & Tax Calculators
Running a business — whether as a solo freelancer or a small employer — requires constant financial decision-making: how to price your services, what platform fees eat into your margins, how much to set aside for taxes, when it makes sense to bring on a hire. These calculators are built for the real questions business owners face, not textbook scenarios.
Platform fee calculators for sellers
For anyone selling on Etsy, eBay, Poshmark, PayPal, Stripe, or Shopify, understanding your true net revenue requires accounting for layered fee structures. Etsy charges a listing fee, a transaction fee (6.5%), and a payment processing fee — and those compound in ways that aren't obvious from the rate sheet. Our Etsy fee and profit calculators show your exact net after all fees. The same logic applies to eBay (final value fees plus insertion fees), Poshmark (flat fee for low-value items, 20% above $15), and payment processors. Use these to set prices that actually cover your costs, not prices that look profitable before fees.
Tax calculators for self-employed and freelancers
Self-employment tax is one of the most underestimated costs for new freelancers. As a W-2 employee, your employer pays half your Social Security and Medicare tax (7.65%). Self-employed, you pay both halves — effectively 15.3% on net earnings before income tax. Our quarterly tax calculator estimates your required estimated tax payments. The 1099 tax calculator gives a fuller picture of total federal tax liability including the self-employment deduction. The S-Corp salary calculator shows at what income level electing S-Corp status produces meaningful tax savings (typically around $80,000+ net profit). These tools can help you budget correctly and avoid underpayment penalties.
Business marketing and operations calculators
Customer acquisition cost (CAC), return on ad spend (ROAS), and email marketing ROI are the three metrics that determine whether a marketing channel is profitable. Our CAC calculator takes total marketing spend divided by new customers acquired, and compares it to customer lifetime value. The ROAS calculator shows gross revenue per dollar of ad spend, and our guide explains the difference between ROAS and actual profitability (a 3× ROAS can still lose money if margins are low). The influencer rate calculator provides a data-based starting point for pricing creator partnerships.
HR and payroll calculators for small employers
Hiring your first employee is a significant financial commitment that extends well beyond the salary negotiation. Payroll taxes (employer-side FICA: 7.65%), state unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, and benefits can add 20–35% on top of gross wages. Our true cost of employee calculator builds this into a fully-loaded annual cost estimate. The PTO accrual calculator helps you track accrued liability. The severance pay calculator gives a reference for industry-standard severance structures. The freelance rate calculator lets you compare what it costs to hire in-house versus contracting out the same work.
Calculators in this category
Frequently asked questions
Are the tax calculators accurate for my state?
Our federal tax calculations are based on current IRS publications. State taxes vary significantly; our calculators do not include state income tax in estimates. Consult a CPA for state-specific guidance.
The platform fee calculator doesn't match what Etsy charged me. Why?
Platform fees change periodically, and some apply only in certain situations (e.g., Etsy Offsite Ads fees, star seller discounts). Always cross-reference with the platform's current published fee schedule.
When does forming an S-Corp actually save money?
The S-Corp salary calculator addresses this specifically. Generally, S-Corp election produces meaningful tax savings above roughly $80,000 in annual net profit, after accounting for the increased accounting and payroll administration costs. Below that threshold, the savings usually don't justify the overhead.
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