Free zakat calculator
Work out your zakat in two minutes. Enter your zakatable assets — cash, gold and silver, investments, business stock, and money owed to you — and your short-term debts. Pick the gold or silver nisab standard, and the calculator returns the 2.5% zakat due, your net zakatable wealth, and whether you are above the nisab — updated live, as you type.
On this page15 sections
Estimates only, based on the values you enter. Not financial or religious advice.
Results are estimates. Consult a professional.
What is zakat?
Zakat is the third pillar of Islam: an obligatory annual payment of a fixed share of your accumulated wealth, given to those in need. It is not a tax and not voluntary charity — it is a religious duty (fard) on every adult Muslim of sound mind whose net wealth has stayed at or above a minimum threshold, called the nisab, for one full lunar year. The standard rate is 2.5% (one-fortieth) of that net zakatable wealth. This zakat calculator adds up what you own, subtracts what you owe, checks the result against the nisab, and returns the 2.5% due the moment you enter your figures.
How to calculate your zakat
Calculating zakat is a four-step process. Value everything at today's market price, on your zakat anniversary (your hawl date), in whatever currency you hold your wealth.
- Add up your zakatable assets. Cash and bank balances, the market value of gold and silver, the resale value of shares and investments, business stock and trade goods, and any money lent out that you expect back.
- Subtract your short-term liabilities. Debts due within the year, this year's instalments on longer debts, overdue rent and bills, and wages you owe. The result is your net zakatable wealth.
- Compare it to the nisab. If your net wealth is below the nisab threshold, no zakat is due. If it is at or above it, you proceed to the final step.
- Multiply by 2.5%. Zakat due is 2.5% of your full net zakatable wealth. The calculator above does all four steps live as you type.
A common misunderstanding is that zakat is charged only on the amount above the nisab. It is not. The nisab is simply the on/off switch: once your wealth clears it, the 2.5% applies to the whole net amount.
What is nisab — the gold and silver thresholds
The nisab is the minimum amount of net wealth a Muslim must own before zakat becomes obligatory. It was set by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) at one of two weights of precious metal, and you may use either standard:
| Standard | Weight | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Gold nisab | 87.48 g of gold | Sets a higher threshold |
| Silver nisab | 612.36 g of silver | Sets a lower, more inclusive threshold |
The two nisab standards, by weight of pure metal. The cash value of each rises and falls with the daily gold and silver price.
Because silver is far cheaper per gram than gold, the silver nisab is much lower — often only a tenth of the gold figure. A lower threshold means more people qualify to pay, and therefore more money reaches those in need, which is why many scholars and zakat organisations recommend using the silver standard, especially where someone holds a mix of cash and metals. The gold standard is more commonly applied by those whose wealth is held mainly in gold.
What assets are zakatable?
Zakat is due on wealth that grows or has the potential to grow — money, precious metals, and assets held for trade or investment. Value each at its current market value on your zakat date, not what you paid for it.
- Cash & savings — money in hand, current and savings accounts, and foreign currency.
- Gold & silver — coins, bullion, and (with the scholarly differences noted below) jewellery, at current market value.
- Investments & shares — stocks, funds, and pensions you can access, at their resale value; long-term shares held for dividends are commonly zakated on the underlying zakatable assets or a portion of the value.
- Business assets — stock-in-trade and goods bought to resell, valued at the price you would sell them for.
- Money owed to you — loans you have given and reliable receivables you expect to recover.
What is exempt from zakat?
Zakat is not charged on assets held for personal use rather than for growth or trade. These are excluded entirely, no matter their value:
- Your home that you live in — and other items of daily use such as furniture and appliances.
- Your personal car and other vehicles for personal, non-trade use.
- Clothing, food, and household goods kept for your own use.
- Tools and equipment used to earn a living (a tradesman's tools, business premises, machinery) — though the income they produce becomes zakatable once saved.
A worked example using the zakat calculator
Aisha is calculating her zakat on the anniversary of the day she first reached the nisab. She uses the silver standard, which today is worth about $1,400. Here is how she uses the calculator — assets first, then liabilities, then the 2.5%.
Step 1 — Add up the zakatable assets
She enters each asset at its current value: $8,000 in cash and savings, $3,500 worth of gold jewellery she treats as zakatable, $6,000 in shares, and $1,500 of business stock she resells.
| Zakatable asset | Value |
|---|---|
| Cash & savings | $8,000 |
| Gold & silver | $3,500 |
| Investments & shares | $6,000 |
| Business stock | $1,500 |
| Total assets | $19,000 |
Step 1 result: total zakatable assets of $19,000.
Step 2 — Subtract short-term liabilities
Next she deducts what she owes within the year: a $2,000 credit-card balance and $1,000 of bills and rent due now.
| Liability | Amount |
|---|---|
| Credit-card balance | $2,000 |
| Bills & rent due | $1,000 |
| Total liabilities | $3,000 |
Step 2 result: total deductible liabilities of $3,000.
Step 3 — Check the nisab, then apply 2.5%
When is zakat due? The lunar year (hawl)
Zakat is due once your wealth has been at or above the nisab for one full lunar year — a period called the hawl. Your zakat anniversary is the Islamic (Hijri) date on which you first owned wealth above the nisab; for many people that is the day they received their first significant savings. From then on, zakat falls due on that same date each lunar year.
The lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, so a Hijri-based zakat date drifts earlier each Gregorian year. If you instead fix your zakat to a solar year for convenience, scholars note you should pay a slightly higher rate — about 2.577% — to make up the extra days. Many Muslims choose to pay during Ramadan, when the reward for good deeds is multiplied, even though zakat itself can be paid at any time of year.
Who can receive zakat? The eight categories
Zakat cannot be given to just anyone. The Quran (Surah At-Tawbah, 9:60) names eight categories of eligible recipients, and your zakat must reach one of them:
- The poor (al-fuqara) — those with little to no income who cannot meet their basic needs.
- The needy (al-masakin) — those who have some income but still struggle to afford necessities.
- Zakat administrators (al-amilin) — those appointed to collect and distribute zakat.
- Those whose hearts are to be reconciled (al-mu'allafat qulubuhum) — new Muslims and friends of the community.
- Freeing those in bondage (fir-riqab) — historically the freeing of slaves; today, helping those held in captivity or bonded labour.
- Those in debt (al-gharimin) — people burdened by debts they cannot repay.
- In the cause of Allah (fi sabilillah) — efforts that serve the path of God.
- The stranded traveller (ibn as-sabil) — a wayfarer cut off from their wealth while away from home.
Zakat generally cannot be given to your immediate dependants — your spouse, your own children, or your parents — since supporting them is already your duty. It also cannot be given to the wealthy or to a non-Muslim as zakat (voluntary charity, sadaqah, has no such limits).
Zakat on gold jewellery — the scholarly difference
One of the most common questions is whether gold and silver jewellery you wear is zakatable. The four Sunni schools of jurisprudence differ, and the calculator lets you include jewellery or leave it out depending on which opinion you follow:
- Hanafi school — all gold and silver jewellery is zakatable, whether it is worn regularly or kept in storage. A woman who wears gold above the nisab pays 2.5% of its value each year.
- Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali schools — jewellery worn regularly for personal use is exempt; only gold and silver held as an investment, or stored and unused, is zakatable.
Whichever view you follow, jewellery held purely as an investment — bullion, coins, or pieces bought to store wealth — is zakatable under every school. If you are unsure which opinion applies to you, follow your local mosque or a qualified scholar; many recommend the Hanafi position as the more cautious one. Other metals and gemstones (a diamond, for instance) are not zakatable unless held for trade.
Sources and further reading
The nisab weights, the conditions of zakat, and the eight categories of recipients above follow mainstream Sunni jurisprudence as published by established zakat institutions. The 2.5% rate and the gold (87.48 g) and silver (612.36 g) nisab thresholds are agreed across the four schools; the dollar value of the nisab varies daily with the metal price and should be checked against a current source. Where scholars differ — most notably on worn jewellery — both positions are stated. For a ruling on your own situation, consult a qualified scholar or your local mosque.
Islamic Relief — Zakat Calculator and guidance on zakatable assets, liabilities, and nisab.Zakat Foundation of America — Conditions and Calculations (nisab, hawl, zakatable and exempt assets).Frequently asked questions about the free zakat calculator
About this zakat calculator
This zakat calculator runs entirely in your browser. Every figure you enter stays on your device — nothing is sent to a server, logged, or shared. It sums your zakatable assets, subtracts your short-term liabilities, checks the net figure against the gold or silver nisab you choose, and applies the 2.5% rate when you are above the threshold, updating instantly as you type. It is a planning estimate, not a religious ruling — for your own situation, consult a qualified scholar or your local mosque.
Calculators Cloud offers 400+ free tools with no sign-up. The whole Finance calculators shelf includes Net worth, Budget, and Savings goal tools alongside this one. Or browse the full calculator directory.