diff --git a/packages/core/e2e/fixtures/test-order-item-price-calculation-strategy.ts b/packages/core/e2e/fixtures/test-order-item-price-calculation-strategy.ts
index f10c148fc5..1437c5f261 100644
--- a/packages/core/e2e/fixtures/test-order-item-price-calculation-strategy.ts
+++ b/packages/core/e2e/fixtures/test-order-item-price-calculation-strategy.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import {
-    CalculatedPrice,
     OrderItemPriceCalculationStrategy,
+    PriceCalculationResult,
     ProductVariant,
     RequestContext,
 } from '@vendure/core';
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export class TestOrderItemPriceCalculationStrategy implements OrderItemPriceCalc
         ctx: RequestContext,
         productVariant: ProductVariant,
         orderLineCustomFields: { [p: string]: any },
-    ): CalculatedPrice | Promise<CalculatedPrice> {
+    ): PriceCalculationResult | Promise<PriceCalculationResult> {
         let price = productVariant.price;
         if (orderLineCustomFields.giftWrap) {
             price += 500;
diff --git a/packages/core/src/service/helpers/variant-calculator/variant-calculator.spec.ts b/packages/core/src/service/helpers/variant-calculator/variant-calculator.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a83bc01574
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/service/helpers/variant-calculator/variant-calculator.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+import { Test } from '@nestjs/testing';
+import { LanguageCode } from '@vendure/common/lib/generated-types';
+
+import { TestOrderItemPriceCalculationStrategy } from '../../../../e2e/fixtures/test-order-item-price-calculation-strategy';
+import { RequestContext } from '../../../api';
+import { RequestContextCacheService } from '../../../cache';
+import {
+    ConfigService,
+    DefaultTaxLineCalculationStrategy,
+    DefaultTaxZoneStrategy,
+    PromotionCondition,
+    PromotionItemAction,
+    ShippingCalculator,
+} from '../../../config';
+import { DefaultProductVariantPriceCalculationStrategy } from '../../../config/catalog/default-product-variant-price-calculation-strategy';
+import { MockConfigService } from '../../../config/config.service.mock';
+import { Order, ProductVariant, Promotion } from '../../../entity';
+import { EventBus } from '../../../event-bus';
+import { createRequestContext, MockTaxRateService } from '../../../testing/order-test-utils';
+import { CustomerService } from '../../services/customer.service';
+import { OrderService } from '../../services/order.service';
+import { ShippingMethodService } from '../../services/shipping-method.service';
+import { TaxRateService } from '../../services/tax-rate.service';
+import { ZoneService } from '../../services/zone.service';
+import { ListQueryBuilder } from '../list-query-builder/list-query-builder';
+import { OrderCalculator } from '../order-calculator/order-calculator';
+import { ProductPriceApplicator } from '../product-price-applicator/product-price-applicator';
+
+import { VariantCalculator } from './variant-calculator';
+
+describe('OrderCalculator', () => {
+    let variantCalculator: VariantCalculator;
+
+    beforeAll(async () => {
+        const module = await createTestModule();
+        variantCalculator = module.get(VariantCalculator);
+        const mockConfigService = module.get<ConfigService, MockConfigService>(ConfigService);
+        mockConfigService.taxOptions = {
+            taxZoneStrategy: new DefaultTaxZoneStrategy(),
+            taxLineCalculationStrategy: new DefaultTaxLineCalculationStrategy(),
+        };
+        mockConfigService.orderOptions = {
+            orderItemPriceCalculationStrategy: new TestOrderItemPriceCalculationStrategy(),
+        };
+        mockConfigService.catalogOptions = {
+            productVariantPriceCalculationStrategy: new DefaultProductVariantPriceCalculationStrategy(),
+        };
+    });
+
+    describe('variant price calculator', () => {
+        it('calculates the correct price for provided order', async () => {
+            const ctx = createRequestContext({ pricesIncludeTax: false });
+            const order = new Order({ active: true, shippingAddress: {}, customer: { id: 1 } });
+            const variant = new ProductVariant({
+                listPrice: 50,
+                productVariantPrices: [{ channelId: 1, price: 50 }],
+                taxCategory: { id: 1 },
+            });
+
+            const alwaysTrueCondition = new PromotionCondition({
+                args: {},
+                code: 'always_true_condition',
+                description: [{ languageCode: LanguageCode.en, value: '' }],
+                check() {
+                    return true;
+                },
+            });
+
+            const fixedPriceItemAction = new PromotionItemAction({
+                code: 'fixed_price_item_action',
+                description: [{ languageCode: LanguageCode.en, value: '' }],
+                args: {},
+                execute(context, item) {
+                    return -8;
+                },
+            });
+
+            const promotion = new Promotion({
+                conditions: [{ code: alwaysTrueCondition.code, args: [] }],
+                promotionConditions: [alwaysTrueCondition],
+                actions: [
+                    {
+                        code: fixedPriceItemAction.code,
+                        args: [],
+                    },
+                ],
+                promotionActions: [fixedPriceItemAction],
+            });
+
+            const calculated = await variantCalculator.applyVariantPromotions(
+                ctx,
+                variant,
+                [promotion],
+                1,
+                order,
+            );
+            expect(calculated).toBe(50 - 8);
+        });
+    });
+});
+
+function createTestModule() {
+    return Test.createTestingModule({
+        providers: [
+            VariantCalculator,
+            ProductPriceApplicator,
+            RequestContextCacheService,
+            { provide: TaxRateService, useClass: MockTaxRateService },
+            { provide: ShippingCalculator, useValue: { getEligibleShippingMethods: () => [] } },
+            {
+                provide: ShippingMethodService,
+                useValue: {
+                    findOne: (ctx: RequestContext) => ({
+                        id: 'T_2',
+                        test: () => true,
+                        apply() {
+                            return {
+                                price: 500,
+                                priceIncludesTax: ctx.channel.pricesIncludeTax,
+                                taxRate: 20,
+                            };
+                        },
+                    }),
+                },
+            },
+            { provide: ListQueryBuilder, useValue: {} },
+            { provide: ConfigService, useClass: MockConfigService },
+            { provide: EventBus, useValue: { publish: () => ({}) } },
+            { provide: ZoneService, useValue: { findAll: () => [] } },
+            { provide: CustomerService, useValue: {} },
+            { provide: OrderService, useValue: {} },
+            OrderCalculator,
+        ],
+    }).compile();
+}
diff --git a/packages/core/src/service/helpers/variant-calculator/variant-calculator.ts b/packages/core/src/service/helpers/variant-calculator/variant-calculator.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2b4b4899ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/service/helpers/variant-calculator/variant-calculator.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+import { Injectable } from '@nestjs/common';
+import { CreateAddressInput } from '@vendure/common/lib/generated-types';
+
+import { RequestContext } from '../../../api';
+import { InternalServerError } from '../../../common';
+import { ConfigService } from '../../../config';
+import { Order, OrderItem, OrderLine, ProductVariant, Promotion, ShippingLine } from '../../../entity';
+import { CustomerService } from '../../services/customer.service';
+import { OrderService } from '../../services/order.service';
+import { OrderCalculator } from '../order-calculator/order-calculator';
+import { ProductPriceApplicator } from '../product-price-applicator/product-price-applicator';
+
+@Injectable()
+export class VariantCalculator {
+    constructor(
+        private configService: ConfigService,
+        private orderService: OrderService,
+        private customerService: CustomerService,
+        private productPriceApplicator: ProductPriceApplicator,
+        private orderCalculator: OrderCalculator,
+    ) {}
+
+    /**
+     * @description adds the variant to a new order based on `initialOrder` and applies all `promotions`,
+     *
+     * if no `initialOrder` is supplied, it is based on the users active order
+     */
+    public async applyVariantPromotions(
+        ctx: RequestContext,
+        variant: ProductVariant,
+        promotions: Promotion[],
+        quantity = 1,
+        initialOrder?: Order,
+    ) {
+        const customerId = initialOrder?.customer?.id ?? ctx.activeUserId;
+        if (!customerId) {
+            throw new InternalServerError('no active user or order customer');
+        }
+
+        const { orderItemPriceCalculationStrategy } = this.configService.orderOptions;
+        if (!orderItemPriceCalculationStrategy) {
+            throw new InternalServerError('no item price calculation strategy found');
+        }
+
+        let order: Order;
+        if (initialOrder) {
+            order = new Order(initialOrder);
+        } else if (ctx.session?.activeOrderId) {
+            order = (await this.orderService.findOne(ctx, ctx.session?.activeOrderId)) ?? new Order();
+        } else {
+            order = new Order();
+        }
+        order.lines ??= [];
+        order.surcharges ??= [];
+        order.modifications ??= [];
+
+        if (!order.customer) {
+            order.customer = await this.customerService.findOne(ctx, customerId);
+        }
+
+        if (!order.shippingAddress) {
+            const addrs = await this.customerService.findAddressesByCustomerId(ctx, customerId);
+            // FIXME use correct Error type
+            if (addrs.length === 0) throw new Error(`no Address for Customer ${customerId} found`);
+
+            const shippingAddress = addrs.find(x => x.defaultShippingAddress) ?? addrs[0];
+            const billingAddress = addrs.find(x => x.defaultBillingAddress) ?? addrs[0];
+
+            order.shippingAddress = {
+                ...shippingAddress,
+                countryCode: shippingAddress.country.code,
+            } as CreateAddressInput;
+            order.billingAddress = {
+                ...billingAddress,
+                countryCode: billingAddress.country.code,
+            } as CreateAddressInput;
+        }
+
+        const adjustedVariant = await this.productPriceApplicator.applyChannelPriceAndTax(
+            variant,
+            ctx,
+            order,
+        );
+        const orderLine = new OrderLine({
+            productVariant: variant,
+            items: [],
+            taxCategory: variant.taxCategory,
+        });
+
+        const { price, priceIncludesTax } = await orderItemPriceCalculationStrategy.calculateUnitPrice(
+            ctx,
+            adjustedVariant,
+            {},
+        );
+        const taxRate = adjustedVariant.taxRateApplied;
+        const unitPrice = priceIncludesTax ? taxRate.netPriceOf(price) : price;
+
+        for (let i = 0; i < quantity; i++) {
+            const orderItem = new OrderItem({
+                id: adjustedVariant.id,
+                listPrice: price,
+                listPriceIncludesTax: priceIncludesTax,
+                adjustments: [],
+                taxLines: [],
+            });
+            orderLine.items.push(orderItem);
+        }
+
+        order.shippingLines = [
+            new ShippingLine({
+                listPrice: 0,
+                listPriceIncludesTax: ctx.channel.pricesIncludeTax,
+                taxLines: [],
+                adjustments: [],
+            }),
+        ];
+
+        order.lines.push(orderLine);
+        const adjustedItems = await this.orderCalculator.applyPriceAdjustments(ctx, order, promotions);
+        const item = adjustedItems.find(x => x.line?.productVariant.id === variant.id);
+        if (!item)
+            // TODO figure out how to handle this case and why it can happen
+            // since this methods usecase is mostly to display a discounted price
+            // it should probably just return the original price when it can't be calculated
+            throw new Error('variant was not adjusted');
+        return item.discountedUnitPrice;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/packages/core/src/service/service.module.ts b/packages/core/src/service/service.module.ts
index a2e6613f75..efda34b881 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/service/service.module.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/service/service.module.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import { RequestContextService } from './helpers/request-context/request-context
 import { ShippingCalculator } from './helpers/shipping-calculator/shipping-calculator';
 import { SlugValidator } from './helpers/slug-validator/slug-validator';
 import { TranslatableSaver } from './helpers/translatable-saver/translatable-saver';
+import { VariantCalculator } from './helpers/variant-calculator/variant-calculator';
 import { VerificationTokenGenerator } from './helpers/verification-token-generator/verification-token-generator';
 import { InitializerService } from './initializer.service';
 import { AdministratorService } from './services/administrator.service';
@@ -118,6 +119,7 @@ const helpers = [
     ProductPriceApplicator,
     EntityHydrator,
     RequestContextService,
+    VariantCalculator,
 ];
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/core/src/testing/order-test-utils.ts b/packages/core/src/testing/order-test-utils.ts
index 3fcd2de01b..2aa3d70d0f 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/testing/order-test-utils.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/testing/order-test-utils.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ export function createRequestContext(options: { pricesIncludeTax: boolean }): Re
     const channel = new Channel({
         defaultTaxZone: zoneDefault,
         pricesIncludeTax: options.pricesIncludeTax,
+        id: 1,
     });
     const ctx = new RequestContext({
         apiType: 'admin',