Sales commission calculator
Find out exactly what a deal or a month of sales pays. Enter your total sales and commission rate for a flat-rate figure, or switch to base salary plus commission to see your total take-home pay. It suits sales reps checking a commission statement, managers modelling a comp plan, or anyone on a performance-based wage.
How it works
Commission is the sales figure multiplied by the rate expressed as a decimal:
commission = total sales × (rate ÷ 100)
In base-plus mode the tool adds your fixed base draw on top:
total pay = base salary + commission
Worked examples
Example 1 — flat commission only. A freelance recruiter places a candidate at a £60,000 salary on a 15% placement fee:
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Commission (60,000 × 0.15) | £9,000 |
| Total pay | £9,000 |
Example 2 — base plus commission. A B2B sales rep sells £25,000 in a month on an 8% commission rate with a £1,500 monthly base:
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Commission (25,000 × 0.08) | £2,000 |
| Base salary | £1,500 |
| Total pay | £3,500 |
Common commission structures
Most sales roles use one of a handful of structures. Knowing which yours uses determines what to enter:
- Flat rate on revenue — the most common setup. Enter total sales and the agreed percentage.
- Tiered rate — the rate increases once sales pass a threshold (for example 6% on the first £20,000, 10% above it). Calculate each tier separately and add them together.
- Margin-based commission — the rate applies to gross profit rather than revenue. Enter your gross margin in the sales field instead of revenue.
- Draw against commission — a base advance is later reconciled against earned commission. Use the base-plus mode but remember the base draw may be recoverable if targets are missed.
What commission rate is realistic?
Rates vary widely by industry, deal size, and seniority. As a rough guide, many roles fall between 5% and 15% of revenue. High-ticket or enterprise software deals where the rep carries a large quota but closes few deals often sit toward the higher end. High-volume retail or inside sales with shorter cycles typically sit lower. This tool takes whatever rate your plan specifies — there is no industry average built in.
Tips for managers modelling comp plans
- Use the tool to test how total payroll changes as a team hits 80%, 100%, or 120% of quota.
- Run the base-plus calculation to check that on-target earnings (OTE) match what you advertised in the job description.
- Remember that commission rates applied to net revenue (after returns or discounts) produce different results than applying them to gross bookings — enter the figure your plan actually uses.
Everything is calculated locally in your browser — your sales figures never leave your device.