Percentage Points Calculator
Work out the difference in percentage points between two percentages, and see the equivalent percentage change — two figures that are easily confused.
How to use the percentage points calculator
- Enter the starting percentage ("from").
- Enter the new percentage ("to").
- The calculator shows both the difference in percentage points and the percentage change between the two.
Percentage points vs. percentage change
These are two different figures that are often mixed up in news reports and statistics. If an interest rate goes from 25% to 30%, it has increased by 5 percentage points — the plain difference between the two shares. But percentage-wise, it has increased by (30 − 25) ÷ 25 = 20%, i.e. relative to the starting value.
Percentage change = (To % − From %) ÷ From % × 100
Worked example: a rise from 25 % to 30 % is 30 − 25 = 5 percentage points, but 5 ÷ 25 × 100 = 20 % as a percentage change. Both figures are correct and describe the same shift — but they are not the same thing. Conflating them is a newsroom classic: «the rate rose 5 percent» means something entirely different from «the rate rose 5 percentage points», and here the difference is fourfold.
The gap between the two grows largest when the starting percentage is low: an increase from 2% to 4% is only 2 percentage points, but a full 100% percentage increase — a doubling. Be precise about which of the two figures you're stating or reading.
Frequently asked questions
Why does this distinction matter?
Because the two figures can give a completely different impression of the same change. An interest rate going from 2% to 3% has increased by only 1 percentage point, but by 50% percentage-wise — both are correct, but convey different information.
When should I use percentage points instead of percentage change?
Percentage points are usually right when comparing two shares directly, such as election results, interest rates, or other percentage rates. Percentage change is more appropriate when you want to describe how large the relative change is.
Can percentage change be undefined?
Yes, if the starting percentage ("from") is exactly 0%, percentage change is mathematically undefined (division by zero) — the calculator then only shows the difference in percentage points.