Math
Percentage change
Measure an increase or decrease from an original value.
Calculators / Math / Difference
Difference calculator
Compare two values using absolute difference, net change, percentage difference, and percentage change.
On this page
Absolute difference40
Net change40
Percentage difference40%
Percentage change50%
Calculator controls
How to calculate
Compare two values using absolute difference, net change, percentage difference, and percentage change.
Absolute difference = |B − A|; net change = B − A; percentage difference uses the mean magnitude; percentage change uses A as the baseline.
Worked example
First value: 80; Second value: 120.
Absolute difference: 40 ; Net change: 40 ; Percentage difference: 40 %; Percentage change: 50 %.
Assumptions and limits
Percentage difference is symmetric, while percentage change depends on which value is the starting baseline.
Results are rounded for display; calculations use unrounded values. Read our calculation methodology.
Understanding the result
This symmetric comparison uses the mean of two nonnegative values as the baseline. Swapping their order does not change the result.
When this tool is useful
Compare two nonnegative measurements without choosing a starting value.
Understanding your inputs
| Input | What to enter |
|---|---|
| First value | Enter a number of at least 0 and no more than 1000000000000. |
| Second value | Enter a number of at least 0 and no more than 1000000000000. |
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from percentage change?
Percentage change uses the first value as the baseline and preserves direction. Percentage difference here uses the average and reports a nonnegative size.