Surface Area Calculator
Choose a 3D shape and enter the required dimensions to get the total surface area (and where relevant, lateral and base areas). Supports cube, rectangular prism, sphere, cylinder, cone and square pyramid.
Choose a shape
Choose a shape, enter dimensions, and press Calculate.
Surface area formulas
| Shape | Total surface area |
|---|---|
| Cube (side s) | 6s² |
| Rectangular prism (l, w, h) | 2(lw + lh + wh) |
| Sphere (radius r) | 4πr² |
| Cylinder (r, h) | 2πr² + 2πrh = 2πr(r + h) |
| Cone (r, h) | πr² + πr√(r² + h²) |
| Square pyramid (s, h) | s² + 2s√(h² + s²/4) |
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Frequently asked questions
Total surface area covers every face — top, bottom, and all sides. Lateral surface area covers only the sides (excluding bases). For a cube or sphere the two are the same; for prisms, cylinders, cones and pyramids, the lateral area omits the flat bases.
Surface area measures a 2D quantity — the amount of flat surface. Length × length gives a squared unit (cm², m², in²). Volume, by contrast, is length × length × length, giving cubic units.