Transport calculator
Freight Rate Calculator
Enter what a trip costs you and the margin you want to see the freight to quote. Add the distance and the load weight to get the rate per kilometre and per tonne too. The figures pre-filled are examples. Your entered values stay out of analytics.
Formula and assumptions
Freight = trip cost ÷ (1 − margin). Profit = freight − trip cost. Rate per km = freight ÷ distance. Rate per tonne = freight ÷ weight. Rate per tonne-km = freight ÷ (weight × distance). Markup on cost = profit ÷ trip cost.
- Margin is applied to the freight price, not to cost: the freight is the trip cost divided by (1 − margin). A 15% margin means 15% of the freight is profit.
- The equivalent markup on cost is shown for reference.
- Freight is before GST. The tool adds no GST of its own.
- The trip cost is the amount you enter. The tool knows no market rates, and any pre-filled figures are examples. A convenient quote, rounded up to the next ₹100, is shown as guidance; the calculated freight is not changed.
- The quote covers only the trip cost you enter. Include every cost you want the freight to recover, such as fixed-cost allocation and empty-return cost where relevant.
- Load weight is in tonnes (1 tonne = 1,000 kg). Margin is limited to 90% because the formula breaks down at 100%.
- Money and rates are rounded to 2 decimal places (half up), each from the exact figure. The markup is rounded to 1 decimal place.
Formula version 1.0, last reviewed Reviewed by an external transport reviewer, 6 October 2026; released by the owner.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between margin and markup?
Margin is profit as a share of the freight you charge. Markup is profit as a share of your cost. The same profit is a smaller margin than markup: a 15% margin is a 17.6% markup. The page shows both.
Where do I get the trip cost?
Work it out with the Trip Cost & Profit Calculator and type the total here, or use your own figure.
Is the freight before or after GST?
Before GST. This tool does not work out GST.
Why is the margin limited to 90%?
The freight is the cost divided by one minus the margin, which cannot be worked out at 100% and makes no sense above it.
Are the pre-filled numbers real rates?
No. They are examples so you can see how the tool works. Replace every figure with your own. The tool does not know what the market pays.