Hours calculator

Type a start time, an end time and any unpaid break. You get the hours worked in hours and minutes and in decimal hours, for one day or several.

Clock
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0:000.00 hours

Type a start and an end time, like 9 and 5:30.

Pay (optional)

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What you type stays on this device: the calculator runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded. How your data is handled

How to use the hours calculator

  1. Type the start and end time the way you would write them: 9, 9:15, 915, 9.15am or 21:15 all work.
  2. Add an unpaid break in minutes (30) or hours and minutes (0:45). Leave it empty if your breaks are paid.
  3. Read the total in hours and minutes (8:30) and in decimal hours (8.50), the form payroll uses.
  4. Worked more than one day? Press Add a day for each one; the total and the daily average update as you type.

The calculator reads times the way people mean them. A start time without AM or PM is taken as written (9 is 9 AM; 12 is noon). An end time without AM or PM is the first matching time after the start, so 9 to 5 is 9 AM to 5 PM (8 hours) and 10pm to 6 runs overnight to 6 AM (8 hours). When it has to guess, it says how it read the times under the row, so you can add “am” or “pm” if you meant something else.

Examples

StartEndUnpaid breakHours (h:mm)Decimal
9:00 AM5:00 PMnone8:008.00
8:30 AM5:00 PM30 minutes8:008.00
7:45 AM4:15 PM45 minutes7:457.75
9:30 AM4:30 PMnone7:007.00
10:00 PM6:30 AM (next day)30 minutes8:008.00
7:00 AM7:00 PM1 hour11:0011.00

To work it out by hand: count the time from the start to the end (crossing midnight if the end is earlier on the clock), take away the break, then divide the minutes by 60 for decimal hours. 7 hours 45 minutes is 7 + 45 ÷ 60 = 7.75 hours.

Overnight shifts and 24-hour shifts

If the end time is earlier on the clock than the start, the shift ended the next day: 11 PM to 7 AM is 8 hours, not minus 16. If the start and end are the same time (7 AM to 7 AM), the calculator counts a full 24 hours, as for a firefighter’s or a carer’s 24-hour shift. For anything longer than a day, switch on Add dates and pick the start and end dates: 6 PM on Friday to 6 AM on Sunday is 36 hours.

On the night the clocks change for daylight saving time, a night shift is really an hour longer (in autumn) or shorter (in spring) than the clock times say. The calculator counts clock time, as most time cards do; check how your employer handles that night.

Breaks: paid or unpaid?

Enter only the breaks you are not paid for. In the US, federal rules treat short rest breaks (usually 5 to 20 minutes) as paid working time, while a real meal break of 30 minutes or more, when you are completely relieved from duty, can be unpaid. Some states require meal or rest breaks; your employer’s policy decides which breaks are deducted.

When to use a different calculator

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate hours worked between two times?

Count the hours and minutes from the start time to the end time, subtract any unpaid break, and add the days together. From 8:45 AM to 5:15 PM is 8 hours 30 minutes; with a 30-minute unpaid lunch it is 8 hours (8.00 decimal hours). The calculator does this as you type.

How many hours is 9 to 5?

9 AM to 5 PM is 8 hours. With a 30-minute unpaid lunch it is 7 hours 30 minutes, or 7.5 decimal hours; with a 1-hour lunch it is 7 hours.

How many hours is 8 to 5?

8 AM to 5 PM is 9 hours. Many employers deduct a 1-hour unpaid lunch from that shift, which leaves 8 hours of paid time.

How do I calculate hours for an overnight shift?

Count from the start to midnight, then from midnight to the end, and add them: 10 PM to 6 AM is 2 + 6 = 8 hours. You can type the times as they are (10pm and 6); when the end time is earlier on the clock, the calculator counts it on the next day.

What does 8:30 mean compared with 8.5 hours?

They are the same amount of time written two ways. 8:30 is 8 hours and 30 minutes; 8.5 is 8 and a half hours in decimal form. The calculator shows both. Be careful not to mix them up: 8.30 decimal hours is 8 hours 18 minutes, not 8 hours 30 minutes.

Can I use 24-hour (military) time?

Yes. Type 13:30 or 1330 for 1:30 PM, and switch the clock to 24-hour to see the results that way. A time with a leading zero (07:00) or from 13 to 23 is always read as 24-hour time.

Does the calculator save my times?

Your times are kept in this browser only (in its local storage), so they are still there if you close the page. Nothing is sent to a server. Use “Clear all” to remove them.

How do I add hours for a whole week?

Press “Add a day” for each day and type its times; the total at the bottom is the week. For overtime and pay, the time card calculator does the same with an overtime rule and a pay rate.