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Enter your values and press Calculate.
In percentage mode the calculator multiplies your total sales by the commission rate and divides by 100; in flat mode it uses the fixed amount you enter. It then adds your base salary and any bonus to show your total earnings for the period, plus the effective commission rate your payout works out to on your sales. Results are estimates for planning, not professional financial advice, so always check them against your actual pay plan.
The percentage formula is the one most sales plans use:
commission earned = total sales × commission rate / 100
Worked example: you close $50,000 in sales at a 10% rate. Commission earned = 50,000 × 10 / 100 = $5,000. Your total earnings for the period then add everything else the plan pays: total earnings = base salary + commission earned + bonus. So with a $15,000 base and a $2,000 bonus, that month pays $15,000 + $5,000 + $2,000 = $22,000.
In flat mode the formula is simpler: commission earned = the flat amount you enter, and total earnings use the same addition. A quick hand check helps: $10,000 in sales at 5% with a $200 bonus gives $10,000 × 5 / 100 = $500 in commission, and $0 + $500 + $200 = $700 total. The calculator also shows your effective commission rate on sales, which is commission earned / total sales × 100.
Enter your total sales for the period, this is the revenue your rate applies to. Pick your rate type: percent (a share of sales) or flat (a fixed amount per period or deal). Enter the commission rate, then add your base salary and any bonus; leave them at 0 if your plan pays commission only.
The calculator shows three figures instantly: your commission earned, your total earnings (base salary + commission + bonus), and the commission rate actually used, which matches your entered rate in percent mode and shows the effective rate on sales in flat mode. Pick your currency from the 25 options to see the numbers in your own money.
Double-check one thing before you trust the number: confirm what your plan bases the rate on. Many plans pay on the revenue you closed, but some pay on gross profit or on sales after discounts, which changes the base and the payout.
A percentage commission scales with the deal: 10% of a $5,000 sale pays $500, while 10% of a $50,000 sale pays $5,000. A flat fee pays the same on every deal no matter the size, for example a fixed $300 per closed contract. Percentage plans reward big tickets and are the most common; flat fees suit simple, repeatable deals where every sale takes similar effort.
Flat fees also show up as a floor or add-on inside percentage plans. Some employers pay $100 to $200 flat on thin-margin deals where a percentage would pay almost nothing, then switch to the percentage rate on healthy deals. Use the rate type selector above to model either arrangement, and run both to see which pays you more at your realistic volume.
In a graduated (tiered) plan the rate steps up as sales cross thresholds, and each rate applies only to the sales inside its own band. Take a plan paying 5% on the first $50,000 of sales, 7% on the next $50,000, and 10% on anything above $100,000. On $120,000 of sales:
- First $50,000 at 5% = $2,500 - Next $50,000 at 7% = $3,500 - Last $20,000 at 10% = $2,000 - Total commission = $8,000, an effective rate of about 6.7% on all sales
Beware the retroactive variant: some plans apply the highest rate reached to ALL sales, which on the same $120,000 would pay $120,000 × 10% = $12,000. The wording of your plan matters enormously. This calculator models a single rate, so for a tiered plan, run the bands separately and add them, then compare against a single-rate equivalent.
There is no single standard rate; the field and the base decide. Common ranges seen across the industry:
| Field | Typical commission | |---|---| | Manufactured goods | 7% to 15% of the sale value | | Services | 20% to 50% of the sale value | | Software (SaaS) sales | 8% to 10% of first-year contract value | | Insurance, home and auto | 10% to 20% of the premium | | Recruiters and staffing | 15% to 30% of the hire's first-year salary | | Home service technicians | 4% to 8% of the sale value |
Plans with a base salary usually pay a lower rate than commission-only plans, because part of the pay is guaranteed. A 6% rate on top of a salary can easily beat a 12% rate with no base, which is why comparing the headline rate alone misleads. The only number that matters is the one written in your own plan or contract.
Negotiate the quota, not just the rate. A modest rate with no quota often out-earns a headline rate buried under an unreachable quota, because the rate only pays on the dollars above the line. Always price an offer by the effective rate on the volume you will realistically close.
Ask what the rate is calculated on: revenue, gross profit, or sales after discounts. A percentage of profit is worth far less than the same percentage of revenue, and discounting hurts you directly under profit-based plans. Ask about clawbacks too: many plans reclaim commission if a customer cancels or a payment never arrives, so find out how long you are on the hook.
Finally, check accelerators and caps before you sign. An accelerator that raises your rate past quota can make a strong quarter very rewarding, while a cap limits total payout no matter how much you sell. Get the full plan in writing and run a slow month and a great month through this calculator to see the real range.
Multiply your total sales by the commission rate and divide by 100: commission = total sales × rate / 100. For example, $30,000 in sales at an 8% rate pays $30,000 × 8 / 100 = $2,400. In flat-fee mode the commission is simply the fixed amount in your plan.
It depends on the field and whether a base salary is included. Common ranges: manufactured goods 7% to 15%, services 20% to 50%, SaaS sales 8% to 10%, insurance 10% to 20%, recruiters 15% to 30%. A lower rate on top of a guaranteed base can beat a higher rate with no base, so compare the effective rate on your realistic sales, not the headline rate.
A flat fee pays the same fixed amount on every deal no matter its size, for example $300 per closed contract. A percentage commission pays a share of each sale, so it scales with deal size: 10% of a $5,000 sale is $500 and 10% of a $50,000 sale is $5,000. Percentage plans are the most common; flat fees suit simple, repeatable deals.
In a tiered plan the rate steps up at sales thresholds, and each band of sales pays its own rate. For example, 5% on the first $50,000 and 8% above it pays $2,500 + $2,400 = $4,900 on $80,000 of sales. Watch for retroactive tiers, where the highest rate reached applies to all sales, which pays much more. Always check your plan document to see which version it uses.
Yes. In the United States commission is treated as supplemental wages and employers commonly withhold federal income tax at a flat 22%, plus state tax, Social Security and Medicare, so take-home pay is meaningfully lower than the gross figure. Withholding is not the final tax; rules differ by country, so check with a tax professional.
A draw is an advance on future commission, paid when a rep is new or sales are slow, and it is subtracted from commission earned later. For example, if the monthly draw is $2,000 and actual commission comes to $3,000, the rep receives $1,000. Draws are generally treated as taxable income when paid, so keep that in mind when estimating take-home pay.
Commission scales directly with sales, usually as a percentage of each deal or the period's total, and rises or falls with your performance. A bonus is a separate, often fixed or milestone-based payment tied to broader goals, like hitting an annual target, and does not scale continuously with each sale. This calculator models both: commission from your rate plus a fixed bonus added to total earnings.
These figures are estimates for planning, not professional financial advice. Your actual payout is set by the exact terms of your pay plan or contract, including the rate base (revenue vs profit), quotas, tiers, clawbacks, taxes and deductions. Run your numbers here, then verify against your plan document.