What a GST calculator tells you
Goods and Services Tax (GST) is an ad-valorem tax — a flat percentage of a supply’s taxable value. This calculator works in both directions: Add GST takes a GST-exclusive base price and returns the GST and the GST-inclusive total, while Remove GST (reverse GST) takes a tax-inclusive price and recovers the base and the embedded tax. It also splits the GST into its statutory components — CGST + SGST for a same-state (intra-state) supply, or IGST for a different-state (inter-state) supply.
How GST is calculated
GST is a single, instant percentage calculation — there is no schedule and no time axis. With a base B and rate p:
Add GST: GST = B × p ÷ 100 Total = B × (1 + p ÷ 100)
To reverse it from a GST-inclusive total T:
Remove GST: Base = T ÷ (1 + p ÷ 100) = T × 100 ÷ (100 + p)
The two base expressions are algebraically identical, so remove mode is the exact inverse of add mode — add GST to ₹1,000 at 18% to get ₹1,180, then remove GST from ₹1,180 and you land back on ₹1,000.
0% rate: a nil-rated supply has no GST at all — the base equals the total, and every component (CGST, SGST, IGST) is zero.
CGST, SGST and IGST — who collects the tax
The GST amount is the same regardless of where the buyer is; the split only changes who collects it. For an intra-state supply the GST divides exactly in half: the Centre takes CGST and the State takes SGST (or UTGST in a Union Territory), each at half the rate. For an inter-state supply the Centre levies the full rate as a single IGST, and there is no CGST or SGST.
Worked example
Adding 18% GST to a ₹1,000 base on an intra-state supply — generated by the same engine that powers the calculator above.
| Step | Value |
|---|---|
| Base amount (B) | ₹1,000 |
| GST rate (p) | 18% |
| Mode | Add GST (exclusive → inclusive) |
| Supply type | Intra-state (CGST + SGST) |
| GST = B × p ÷ 100 | ₹180.00 |
| CGST (9%) | ₹90.00 |
| SGST (9%) | ₹90.00 |
| Total = B + GST | ₹1,180.00 |
The ₹180 GST splits into ₹90 CGST and ₹90 SGST, and the buyer pays ₹1,180 in total. Reverse it from ₹1,180 at 18% and you recover the ₹1,000 base exactly.
GST across the rate slabs
India’s notified ad-valorem slabs have historically been 0%, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%, with a 2025 rationalisation steering most items toward a 5%/18% structure and a 40% rate on select luxury and sin goods. The table below adds each slab to the same ₹1,000 base:
| Rate | GST | CGST = SGST | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹1,000.00 |
| 5% | ₹50.00 | ₹25.00 | ₹1,050.00 |
| 12% | ₹120.00 | ₹60.00 | ₹1,120.00 |
| 18% | ₹180.00 | ₹90.00 | ₹1,180.00 |
| 28% | ₹280.00 | ₹140.00 | ₹1,280.00 |
| 40% | ₹400.00 | ₹200.00 | ₹1,400.00 |
Adding GST to a ₹1,000 base across the notified slabs. For an intra-state supply the GST splits equally into CGST and SGST; for an inter-state supply the same GST is charged in full as IGST.
What this calculator does not do
To keep the figures honest and rate-agnostic, the calculator deliberately stays out of slab lookups and compliance:
- It does not determine the correct slab for a specific HSN/SAC good or service — you pick the rate.
- It excludes compensation cess and the 40% sin/luxury cess component.
- It does not model the reverse-charge mechanism (RCM) or input tax credit (ITC).
- It does not handle composite or mixed supplies, or the exempt / nil-rated / zero-rated (export) distinctions.
Rate slabs are time-sensitive — the GST Council can revise them — so always confirm the rate that applies to your item against the current CBIC notification.
Frequently asked questions
What is GST and how is it calculated?+
GST (Goods and Services Tax) is an ad-valorem tax charged as a flat percentage of a supply’s taxable value. To add GST you multiply the base amount by the rate: GST = base × rate ÷ 100, and the total = base + GST. This calculator does that instantly and also reverses it.
How do I add GST to a price?+
Enter the GST-exclusive (base) amount, pick the rate, and choose “Add GST”. The calculator returns the GST amount (base × rate ÷ 100) and the GST-inclusive total (base × (1 + rate ÷ 100)).
How does the reverse GST calculation work?+
If you only know the GST-inclusive price, choose “Remove GST”. The base is total ÷ (1 + rate ÷ 100), which is the same as total × 100 ÷ (100 + rate), and the GST is the difference. For example, ₹1,180 at 18% gives a base of ₹1,000 and ₹180 GST.
What is the difference between CGST, SGST and IGST?+
For an intra-state supply (buyer and seller in the same state) the GST is split equally into CGST (collected by the Centre) and SGST (collected by the State) — each is half the rate. For an inter-state supply the whole amount is charged as IGST. The total tax is the same; only who collects it differs.
Why is CGST equal to SGST?+
Under the CGST Act and the matching State GST Acts, an intra-state supply’s GST is divided 50/50. At 18%, that is 9% CGST and 9% SGST; at 28% it is 14% each. The two halves always add back to the full rate.
What are the GST rate slabs in India?+
The classic notified ad-valorem slabs are 0%, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%, plus niche rates and a compensation cess on some goods. A 2025 GST Council rationalisation is moving most items toward a 5%/18% structure with a 40% rate on select luxury and sin goods, so always confirm the current slab for your specific item against a CBIC notification.
Which GST rate applies to my product or service?+
The rate depends on the item’s HSN or SAC code in the CBIC schedule. This calculator is rate-agnostic — you select the rate and it does the arithmetic; it does not look up the official slab for a specific good or service.
Does this GST calculator include compensation cess?+
No. It models only the headline GST rate. Compensation cess (levied on tobacco, aerated drinks, some automobiles and other notified goods) is over and above GST and is not included here.
Can I use this calculator to make a GST invoice figure?+
Yes for the tax computation — it gives you the base, GST, CGST/SGST or IGST split and the total. A compliant tax invoice also needs GSTIN, HSN/SAC codes, an invoice number and date, which the calculator does not produce.
What is UTGST and how does it fit in?+
UTGST (Union Territory GST) replaces SGST when an intra-state supply happens inside a Union Territory without its own legislature. The split is the same 50/50 as CGST + SGST, so this calculator’s intra-state result applies — just read SGST as UTGST.
What happens at a 0% GST rate?+
A 0% (nil-rated) supply has no GST: the base equals the total and all of CGST, SGST and IGST are zero. Note that nil-rated, exempt and zero-rated (export) supplies differ in input-tax-credit treatment, which this calculator does not model.
How is GST rounded on an invoice?+
GST is normally rounded to two decimal places on a tax invoice, and the final invoice value to the nearest rupee under section 170 of the CGST Act. This calculator shows two-decimal precision; the rounding is a display step and does not change the underlying formula.
What is the difference between a GST-inclusive and a GST-exclusive price?+
A GST-exclusive price (base price) is the amount before tax is added — the taxable value of the supply. A GST-inclusive price (total) already contains the GST. Use "Add GST" when you have the exclusive base and need the final invoice price; use "Remove GST" when you have the inclusive total and need to recover the base and the embedded tax.
How do I calculate GST on an MRP or total price?+
When the price tag shows the MRP (Maximum Retail Price) or any GST-inclusive amount, use Remove GST mode: enter the total, pick the rate, and the calculator returns the base (taxable value) and the GST embedded in it. The formula is Base = Total × 100 ÷ (100 + rate), GST = Total − Base.
Are the GST rate slabs current for 2025–26?+
The calculator is rate-agnostic arithmetic — you enter the rate and it does the maths, so it works regardless of which slab applies. The notified ad-valorem slabs are 0%, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%; a 2025 GST Council rationalisation is gradually moving most items toward a simpler 5%/18% structure with a 40% rate on select luxury and sin goods. Always confirm the current slab for your specific HSN/SAC item against the latest CBIC notification, as the Council can revise rates at any time.
Sources
- CBIC — CGST Act 2017, s.9 (levy of central tax on intra-state supplies, value under s.15)
- CBIC — GST rate schedule (notified ad-valorem slabs and rate finder)
- ClearTax — GST Calculator (add and reverse formulae; CGST/SGST/IGST routing)
- BankBazaar — GST Calculator (independent confirmation of the same arithmetic)
Formula and data last reviewed by the TheCalculatorVault team on 26 June 2026. Figures are for general information, not professional advice.
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