Enter your costs and expected sales to see if a show is worth it — plus your break-even sales target.
This free craft show profit calculator helps vendors determine whether a booth fee is worth paying before they commit. Enter your fixed costs — booth fee, travel, hotel, food, and supplies — along with your expected sales revenue, cost of goods sold, and card processing rate. The calculator instantly shows your net profit, profit margin, and the exact break-even sales number you need to hit.
The break-even formula is straightforward: total fixed costs divided by your gross margin percentage (after processing fees). For example, if your expenses total $250 and your adjusted margin is 62%, you need at least $403 in sales to break even. Anything above that is profit. Anything below it means the show cost you money.
Most vendors underestimate their true show costs by only counting the booth fee. A complete calculation includes round-trip travel (gas, tolls, parking), hotel or lodging if the show requires an overnight stay, meals during the event, packaging and display supplies, and credit card processing fees — typically 2.6% to 3.5% per transaction. You also need to subtract your cost of goods sold from revenue, since materials and production costs reduce your actual margin.
Experienced craft show vendors typically aim for a gross margin between 55% and 75% on handmade products. After accounting for all show expenses, a true net profit margin above 30% is strong and worth repeating. Between 20% and 30% is solid. Below 10% means the show is likely not worth your time unless it offers exceptional lead generation or networking value.
Run this calculator before every show application. If the break-even number is higher than what you typically sell at similar events, it is a red flag. Other warning signs include a disproportionately high booth fee for a first-year show, no attendance data from the organizer, too many vendors in your product category, and a venue whose typical shoppers don't match your price point.