Tip Calculator
Enter the bill, choose a tip percentage and, if you are sharing, the number of people. You get the total, the tip, and each person's share, with optional rounding up.
Created by the Reeliy Editorial Team. Last updated: Oct 19, 2026
How to calculate a tip
A tip is a percentage of the bill that you add as a thank-you for service. Turn the percentage into a decimal, multiply it by the bill, and add the result to the bill to get what you pay.
tip = bill × tip % ÷ 100
total = bill + tip
Example: a bill of $85.50 with an 18% tip. The tip is 85.50 × 0.18 = $15.39, so the total is 85.50 + 15.39 = $100.89.
The calculator applies the percentage to whatever number you type into Price on bill. If you tip on the amount before sales tax, enter the pre-tax subtotal; if you tip on the full bill, enter the full bill. Neither is wrong, so follow the habit you prefer.
Splitting the bill and the tip
When several people pay, the total and the tip are divided evenly by the number of people. Using the same $85.50 bill at 18% and three people, each person pays 100.89 ÷ 3 = $33.63, of which $5.13 is tip.
The people field accepts fractions, so a split such as 2.5 shares is possible when one person pays for part of a meal. For uneven splits, work out each person's own items first and run the calculator once per person.
Rounding the total up
Paying an exact figure such as $100.89 is awkward in cash. The rounding options raise the amount to a convenient number: the next whole dollar, or the next multiple of $5, $10 or $50. The calculator never rounds down, so the tip can only grow.
With one person, the whole total is rounded and the tip becomes the new total minus the bill. A bill of $47.30 with an 18% tip comes to $55.81. Rounded to a whole dollar it is $56, which makes the tip $8.70; rounded to the next $5 it is $60.
With two or more people, each person's share is rounded instead, and the total is rebuilt from the rounded shares. Take $64.20 at 20% for four people: the exact share is 77.04 ÷ 4 = $19.26, which rounds up to $20. Four shares of $20 make a total of $80, so the tip ends up at $15.80 rather than $12.84.
Rounding is a convenience, not an obligation. If the larger tip is more than you meant to leave, choose Do not round up.
Quick mental math
You can estimate a tip without a calculator by starting from 10%, which is the bill with the decimal point moved one place to the left.
- 10%: move the decimal point. On a $48 bill that is $4.80.
- 15%: add half of the 10% figure to it. $4.80 + $2.40 = $7.20.
- 20%: double the 10% figure. $4.80 × 2 = $9.60.
Round the bill to a friendly number first if you like. The error from rounding a $48.60 bill to $50 is small compared with the generosity of the tip itself.
How much to tip in different situations
Tipping customs depend on the country and the type of service. The ranges below are common starting points in the United States. They are habits rather than rules, and a service charge that is already on the bill usually replaces a tip.
| Situation | Typical tip |
|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurant | 15% to 20% of the bill |
| Bar or café with table service | 15% to 20%, or $1 to $2 per drink |
| Food delivery | 10% to 20%, with a minimum of a few dollars |
| Taxi or ride-hailing | 10% to 15% |
| Hair stylist or barber | 15% to 20% |
| Hotel housekeeping | A few dollars per night, left daily |
| Porter or bellhop | $1 to $2 per bag |
In many countries tipping is optional or not expected, and service is included in the price. In others a small round-up, such as leaving the change, is the norm. If you are unsure, ask a local or check how people around you pay.
Where tipping comes from
Giving money to servants and attendants for extra service is an old European habit. It spread widely in the United States in the decades after the Civil War, and for a while it was controversial: critics called it undemocratic, and several states passed laws against it in the early twentieth century before those laws were repealed.
Today tipping sits at the heart of how many service jobs are paid in the United States, where some workers receive a lower base wage on the assumption that tips make up the difference. That is why a 15% to 20% tip is a normal part of a restaurant bill there, while in countries with different pay systems the same gesture would be unusual.
Common mistakes
- Tipping twice: check whether the bill already carries a service charge or an automatic gratuity for larger parties.
- Entering the per-person amount and also a number of people, which divides the bill a second time.
- Comparing a percentage of the pre-tax and the post-tax amount without noticing, which can change the tip by a dollar or more on a large bill.
To work out percentages in other situations, such as a sale price or a markup, use the percentage calculator or the discount calculator. To add sales tax to a net price, see the VAT calculator.
The figures are arithmetic on the numbers you enter and are meant as a convenience. Check them against your bill. See our disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate a 20% tip?
Multiply the bill by 0.20. On a $60 bill that is $12, so the total is $72. A shortcut is to double the 10% figure, which comes from moving the decimal point one place.
Should I tip on the pre-tax or the post-tax amount?
Both are common. Tipping on the pre-tax subtotal is slightly lower; tipping on the full bill is slightly higher. Enter whichever amount you want the percentage applied to.
How does the round-up option change the tip?
Rounding raises the total to a whole dollar, or to the next $5, $10 or $50, and the extra goes to the tip. With several people each person's share is rounded and the total is rebuilt from those shares.
How do I split a bill with tip evenly?
Enter the bill, the tip percentage and the number of people. The calculator divides the total and the tip by that number and shows what each person pays.
Is 15% still a normal tip at a restaurant?
In the United States many diners now leave 18% to 20% for good service, with 15% regarded as a basic level. Customs differ elsewhere, and a service charge on the bill usually replaces the tip.
Cite this calculator and page
If you use this page in your work, you can cite it as:
Reeliy Editorial Team. (2026). Tip Calculator. Reeliy. https://reeliy.com/calculators/tip-calculator“Tip Calculator.” Reeliy, 2026, https://reeliy.com/calculators/tip-calculator.