A lemonade stand is a classic first business lesson: buying supplies, setting a price and seeing how sales turn into profit. A 16 oz cup of homemade lemonade needs roughly ⅓ of a lemon’s juice per 8 oz and costs about 25–50 cents in ingredients.
How to use the Lemonade Stand Calculator
- Cups to sell
- Cup size
- Cost of cups (pack)
- Ingredient cost per 8 fl oz (lemons, sugar, water)
- Other costs (sign, table, permit)
- Price per cup
- Savings goal
Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.
How it works
Enter the number of cups you hope to sell, the cup size, your costs and the price per cup, and a savings goal if you have one.
Tips
- Use figures for the same period (a month, a quarter or a year) for every input so ratios compare like with like.
- Track the metric over time – the trend usually tells you more than a single value.
- Compare your result with industry benchmarks, which vary a lot between sectors.
- Treat the result as a starting point for a decision, then check the assumptions behind each input.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mixing monthly and yearly numbers in the same calculation.
- Using revenue where the formula needs profit (or the other way round).
- Forgetting hidden costs such as taxes, fees, overheads or your own time.
Inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Cups to sell | A number |
| Cup size | Choose one: 8 fl oz, 12 fl oz, 16 fl oz, 20 fl oz |
| Cost of cups (pack) | Amount in your currency |
| Ingredient cost per 8 fl oz (lemons, sugar, water) | Amount in your currency |
| Other costs (sign, table, permit) | Amount in your currency |
| Price per cup | Amount in your currency |
| Savings goal | Amount in your currency |
What each result means
- Ingredients per cup = [Ingredient cost per 8 fl oz (lemons, sugar, water)]×[Cup size]÷8
- Total cost = [Cost of cups (pack)] + [Other costs (sign, table, permit)] + [Ingredients per cup]×[Cups to sell]
- Cost per cup sold = [Total cost]÷[Cups to sell]
- Total profit = [Cups to sell]×[Price per cup] – [Total cost]
- Cups to break even = ceil(([Cost of cups (pack)] + [Other costs (sign, table, permit)])÷max([Price per cup] – [Ingredients per cup], 0.000001) – 0.000001)
- Cups to reach the savings goal = ceil(([Cost of cups (pack)] + [Other costs (sign, table, permit)] + [Savings goal])÷max([Price per cup] – [Ingredients per cup], 0.000001) – 0.000001)
Example values
How the main result changes when Cups to sell changes and everything else stays at the example values above:
| Cups to sell | Total profit |
|---|---|
| 30 | 15.5 |
| 45 | 31.25 |
| 60 | 47 |
| 75 | 62.75 |
| 90 | 78.5 |
| 120 | 110 |
Formula
Cost per cup = (cups + ingredients + other costs) ÷ cups to sellProfit = cups × price − total costBreak-even cups = fixed costs ÷ (price − ingredient cost per cup)Worked example
Inputs — Cups to sell: 60; Cup size: 12 fl oz; Cost of cups (pack): $6; Ingredient cost per 8 fl oz (lemons, sugar, water): $0.3; Other costs (sign, table, permit): $10; Price per cup: $1.5; Savings goal: $50.
Results — Ingredients per cup = $0.45; Total cost = $43.00; Cost per cup sold = $0.72; Total profit = $47.00; Cups to break even = 16; Cups to reach the savings goal = 63.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge for lemonade?
Often $0.50–$2 a cup – at least double the ingredient cost.
How many lemons do I need?
About one lemon for every 2–3 cups (8 fl oz) of lemonade.
Do I need a permit?
Rules vary by city and state; many now allow children's stands without one.
What formula does the Lemonade Stand Calculator use?
Cost per cup = (cups + ingredients + other costs) ÷ cups to sell.