When to use percentage points?

When comparing two percentages, e.g. changes in interest rates or vote shares.

Percentage Point Calculator

Calculate the difference between two percentages in percentage points and the relative change in percent. Avoid the common confusion.

Initial value: 5.00 %

Final value: 7.00 %

2.0 pp

Difference in percentage points

Difference in percentage points	2.0 pp
Relative change	40.0 %

ℹ️ E.g. 5% to 7% is a rise of 2 percentage points but a 40% relative increase. These are not the same!

The percentage point calculator tells you how many percentage points two percentages differ and how large the relative change between them is. It clears up the confusion that arises when percent and percentage points get mixed up in the news.

How the calculator works and what it’s for▾

Percentage point vs. percent

A percentage point is the absolute difference between two percentages, while the relative change tells you by how many percent a figure grew or fell compared with the starting value.

For example, a rise from 5% to 7% is 2 percentage points, but a full 40% relative increase. These are not the same thing.

How the calculator works

The difference in percentage points is found by subtracting the initial value from the final value. The relative change is calculated by dividing that difference by the initial value and converting the result into percent.

You only enter two percentages, and the calculator shows both results side by side, making the difference visible.

What you enter and what you get

You enter the initial value and the final value as percentages. The result shows the difference in percentage points and the relative change in percent.

Comparing the two results helps you describe the same change correctly, whichever figure you need.

Where the calculator is needed

The calculator is useful when interpreting changes in interest rates, the unemployment rate, poll figures or tax percentages. Headlines often present these imprecisely, which leads to misunderstandings.

For journalists, students and anyone who wants to express a change precisely, using the right term makes the message credible.

🔄 Reviewed June 2026