Free HST Calculator (Canada)
Quickly add tax to a price or reverse tax out of a total. Great for invoices, receipts, and budgeting.
What is HST?
HST stands for Harmonized Sales Tax. In participating provinces, HST combines the federal GST with the provincial sales tax into one rate. For consumers, it appears as a single tax line on receipts. For businesses, calculating tax correctly matters for invoicing, reporting, and cash flow planning.
This page gives you a practical HST calculator that handles both directions:
- Add tax: start with a subtotal and find the final total.
- Extract tax: start with a tax-included amount and find the original pre-tax price.
How to use this HST calculator
1) Choose calculation type
Select whether you want to add tax or remove tax from a total. This is useful for different real-life situations:
- Adding tax for a quote or invoice.
- Extracting tax from a receipt where only the final total is shown.
2) Select province or custom rate
When you choose a province, the tax rate is auto-filled. You can still edit the percentage manually if needed. This helps with edge cases like historical rates, special calculations, or non-standard scenarios.
3) Enter amount and calculate
Type your amount in CAD and click Calculate. You’ll instantly see:
- Subtotal (before tax)
- Tax amount
- Total (after tax)
Common Canadian sales tax rates (quick reference)
- Ontario: 13% HST
- New Brunswick: 15% HST
- Newfoundland and Labrador: 15% HST
- Nova Scotia: 15% HST
- Prince Edward Island: 15% HST
- Alberta / NWT / Nunavut / Yukon: 5% GST
- British Columbia: 12% combined (GST + PST)
- Manitoba: 12% combined (GST + RST)
- Saskatchewan: 11% combined (GST + PST)
- Quebec: 14.975% combined (GST + QST)
Formulas used in the calculator
Adding tax
Tax = Subtotal × (Rate ÷ 100)
Total = Subtotal + Tax
Extracting tax from a tax-included total
Subtotal = Total ÷ (1 + Rate ÷ 100)
Tax = Total - Subtotal
Why this matters for budgeting and business
Small pricing errors can compound quickly. If you send multiple invoices per month, even tiny tax mistakes create reconciliation headaches. A simple calculator like this keeps numbers consistent and saves time during month-end accounting.
It’s also useful for personal finance. If you set spending limits, separating tax from sticker price helps you estimate the true cost of purchases before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
Is this only for HST provinces?
No. It also works for GST-only and combined GST/PST setups. Just select the applicable province or use a custom rate.
Does this replace professional tax advice?
No. This is an educational and convenience tool. For filing, compliance, or edge-case tax treatment, always confirm details with CRA guidance or a qualified tax professional.
Can I use decimal tax rates?
Yes. The calculator supports decimal rates such as 14.975% for Quebec combined tax calculations.