VAT refund calculator — what you actually get back, after the operator's cut

The window sticker says 20% back. After the refund operator's commission and its exchange-rate margin, the figure that reaches you is usually closer to 12%. This calculates that number.

Two things nobody tells you at the till

The first is that the VAT rate is not the refund rate. A 20% VAT rate means the tax is one sixth of the price you paid, not one fifth — and then a refund operator takes a commission on top. The second is that if you take your refund in cash at the airport, or in your home currency on a card, a currency-conversion margin is applied that is rarely mentioned and frequently costs more than the commission.

This app calculates the number that matters: what you actually receive. It shows the VAT contained in the price, then subtracts each cost separately, so you can see where the difference goes.

What the VAT refund calculator works out

Enter what you paid and the country. Everything else is unpicking the deductions.

• A receipt-style breakdown. The result reads down like a receipt: You paid, VAT inside that price, the operator's fee, the currency conversion, any fixed charge, and finally You actually receive. Nothing is hidden in a single net figure.
• Operator comparison. Global Blue, Planet, Wevat and claiming directly at the store are compared side by side, including where each is accepted. Choosing a shop that refunds directly, or an operator with a lower margin, can be worth more than the shopping decision that triggered the refund.
• Cash at the airport against a card refund. Both routes are priced. Cash is immediate and usually costs more; a card refund is cheaper and slower. The app puts the two amounts next to each other so it is a decision rather than a default.
• Country rules that change the answer. Each of the 38 countries carries its minimum spend, how long you have to claim, and where the claim must be made. Missing the minimum spend by a few euros is the most common way to get nothing at all.
• An airport checklist. A claim fails on paperwork more often than on eligibility. The checklist covers what customs needs to see before you join the queue — including the fact that the goods usually have to be available for inspection, not packed in a checked bag.
• A five-step walkthrough. A country-agnostic explanation of the whole process, from shopping at an eligible store to getting the form validated at customs and submitted for payment.
• Your own refund history. Past calculations are saved so a multi-country trip adds up to a single figure.

Honest about which numbers are solid

Refund operators do not all publish their fee schedules. The app distinguishes between figures taken from an operator's own published schedule and industry-typical estimates, and it marks an operator when any component of its cost is an estimate. Country data carries a last-verified date, and where a specific figure could not be confirmed against the national tax authority, the app says so rather than presenting a guess as fact.

That is unusual and slightly awkward to display, but a refund calculator that quietly invents a threshold is worse than useless — you find out at the airport.

When to use it

Before you buy, not after. The most valuable moment is standing in a shop deciding whether to push the purchase over the country's minimum spend, or whether to buy in this country at all rather than the next one on the itinerary. A five-minute check can be worth a hundred euros.

The second moment is at the airport, choosing between the cash desk and a card refund with a queue behind you. And the third is trip planning: if you know you will be shopping, knowing the thresholds and deadlines in advance shapes where you spend.

Data sources and accuracy

Country rules are compiled from national tax and customs authorities — HMRC, the French and Dutch customs services, the Spanish and Italian revenue agencies, the Japanese National Tax Agency and Customs, and their equivalents — with a last-verified date recorded in the app. Operator costs are drawn from published schedules where they exist and marked as estimates where they do not.

Rules change, and the final authority is always the customs officer in front of you. Treat the result as a well-sourced estimate for planning. The app runs offline with no account and is free and ad-supported.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my refund less than the VAT rate? Two reasons. VAT is already inside the price you paid — 20% VAT is one sixth of the total, not one fifth. Then the refund operator takes a commission, and usually a currency-conversion margin on top.

Is it better to take cash at the airport or a card refund? A card refund is normally cheaper; cash is immediate but carries a higher charge. The app prices both routes so it is a decision rather than a default.

How many countries does it cover? 38 jurisdictions, each with its own minimum spend, claim deadline and claim location.

Where does the country data come from? National tax and customs authorities, with a last-verified date shown in the app. Where a figure could not be confirmed, it is marked unverified rather than presented as fact.

Does it work offline? Yes. All country and operator data ships with the app. No account, no network needed.