Your batch numbers
Choose a soap type to fill the fields with a realistic example, or edit every value yourself.
Oils, butters, base, lye, fragrance, and colorant used in the batch
Box, wrap, tamper seal, and label
Your production time for the batch
The batch's share of electricity, water, gas, and rent
Sellable bars the batch yields
Optional, for price per 100 g
Card processing, craft-fair or marketplace fees, and other percentage-based selling costs.
The share of the selling price left as profit. The calculator shows the markup this margin produces.
An educational estimate to support your decision. Always check it against your actual batch costs and what your market will pay.
How the calculator gets to the price
The logic follows a straightforward small-business pricing approach: start with your actual cost, account for the percentage-based costs of making the sale, and only then build in your margin. The calculator does it in four steps.
1. Batch cost, divided by sellable bars
Everything it takes to make the batch—raw materials based on the amount used, packaging, your labor, and the batch's allocated share of fixed costs—adds up to the batch cost. Divide that by the number of sellable bars to get cost per unit. That's the floor for your price.
2. Selling expenses
Card processing and percentage-based craft-fair or marketplace fees are charged on the selling price, not on your cost. That's why they enter the calculation as percentages: the price has to cover them and still leave room for profit.
3. Profit margin
Margin is the share of the selling price left as profit after everything else is paid. Instead of simply adding a margin percentage to cost—the common mistake—the calculation builds both selling expenses and margin into the price:
Price = Cost ÷ [1 − (Expenses% + Margin%)]
That's equivalent to multiplying cost by a markup. The calculator shows markup too: it is the result of your margin and your expenses, not a number you pick before the calculation.
4. Check it against the market
Cost sets the floor; the market sets the ceiling. A soap with thoughtful packaging and a strong story may support a higher price. Just don't sell below cost to "win on price": it eats your margin and trains customers to expect less.
The app calculates each bar's cost from your inventory, keeps the formula, and shows a suggested price at the margin you choose, without a spreadsheet. See the app for soap makers.
Frequently asked questions
How do I price handmade soap?
Add up the batch costs—raw materials, packaging, labor, and the allocated share of fixed costs—and divide by the number of sellable bars to get your cost per unit. Then account for percentage-based selling expenses such as card processing or marketplace fees and your target profit margin. The formula is Price = Cost ÷ [1 − (Expenses% + Margin%)]. This calculator does it automatically.
What profit margin should I use for handmade soap?
There is no single right number, and no standard markup for handmade soap: it depends on your sales channel, packaging, and positioning. Start with a margin that pays for your work, apply it to your real batch cost, then adjust to what your market will support. The calculator shows the markup your margin produces.
What's the difference between margin and markup?
Markup is a multiplier applied to cost to arrive at a price—for example, cost × 2.5. Margin is the share of the selling price left as profit after costs and expenses. A 2× markup is not the same thing as a 50% profit margin once selling expenses are included; the calculator shows both so you can compare them.
How much does it cost to make a bar of handmade soap?
The cost of each bar is the total batch cost divided by the number of sellable units the batch yields. Include raw materials based on the amount used, packaging, your labor, and the allocated share of fixed costs. It varies by formula and scale; enter your own batch values in the calculator to see the cost per bar.
Is the soap pricing calculator free?
Yes. The calculator is free and runs right in your browser, with no sign-up. To save formulas, calculate costs from inventory, and track margin and revenue month by month, Artisan View brings it all together on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Windows.
The same cost, expense, and margin logic applies to baking. Receitorio, our app for home bakers and small baking businesses, has a companion calculator:
Baked goods pricing calculator ↗