- 1Enter the original (initial) value in the first field.
- 2Enter the new (final) value in the second field.
- 3The calculator instantly displays the percentage change and the absolute difference. Increases are shown in green; decreases in red.
Percentage change measures how much a value has increased or decreased relative to its original value, expressed as a percentage. It is one of the most common calculations in business, finance, science, and daily life — used to describe price changes, growth rates, performance shifts, and more.
The difference between the new and original values, divided by the absolute value of the original, multiplied by 100.
% Change = ((New − Original) / |Original|) × 100An increase from 50 to 75.
((75 − 50) / |50|) × 100 = +50%A decrease from 200 to 150.
((150 − 200) / |200|) × 100 = −25%((92 − 80) / |80|) × 100 = (12 / 80) × 100Difference = 100 − 80 = 20; % change = 20 / |80| × 100Difference = 10 − (−40) = 50; % change = 50 / |−40| × 100- The original value is the baseline. A change from 100 to 150 is +50%, but a change from 150 to 100 is −33.3% — the direction matters.
- The original value cannot be zero because division by zero is undefined. This calculator returns no result when the original value is 0.
- Percentage change is different from percentage points. Going from 10% to 15% is a 5 percentage-point increase but a 50% percentage change.
What happens if the original value is zero?
Percentage change from zero is mathematically undefined (division by zero). The calculator will not produce a result in this case.
Can percentage change be more than 100%?
Yes. For example, a value going from 50 to 200 is a +300% change. Percentage change has no upper limit.
Why is the denominator the absolute value of the old value?
It keeps the sign of the percentage tied to the direction of the change (up is positive, down is negative) even when the starting value is negative.
What if the old value is zero?
Percentage change from zero is undefined because it would divide by zero, so the calculator returns no result.