How to use the hours calculator
- Type the start time and end time. Shortcuts like
9,830or5:30pwork, and AM/PM is filled in for you. If the end is earlier than the start, the shift is counted into the next day. - Enter any unpaid break, such as
30for a half-hour lunch. - Worked more than one shift? Press Add another shift for each one. The work hours are added up as you type.
- Optional: tick Add dates for spans over several days, or enter an hourly rate to see pay.
- Read the result in hours:minutes, decimal hours and total minutes, and press Copy summary to paste it into a message, invoice or spreadsheet.
How to calculate hours between two times
Hours worked = end time − start time − unpaid breaks.
- Write both times in 24-hour form: 1:40 PM is 13:40 and 4:05 PM is 16:05.
- Subtract the hours and the minutes separately. If the minutes are negative, borrow 1 hour as 60 minutes: 16:05 − 13:40 = 15:65 − 13:40 = 2:25.
- If the whole result is negative, the shift ended the next day: add 24 hours.
- Take off unpaid breaks, then divide the leftover minutes by 60 for decimal hours: 2:25 = 2 + 25 ÷ 60 = 2.42 hours.
Work hours calculator examples
Day shift with a lunch break
7:30 AM to 4:10 PM with a 45-minute unpaid lunch:
- 7:30 AM → 4:10 PM = 8 h 40 min
- 8 h 40 min − 45 min = 7:55, or 7.92 decimal hours (475 minutes)
Overnight shift past midnight
11:00 PM to 7:45 AM with a 20-minute unpaid break:
- 11:00 PM → midnight = 1 h, midnight → 7:45 AM = 7 h 45 min, so 8 h 45 min in total
- 8 h 45 min − 20 min = 8:25, or 8.42 decimal hours
Adding up several shifts, with pay
| Shift | Times | Break | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM | 30 min | 8:00 |
| Tuesday | 8:45 AM – 4:15 PM | 30 min | 7:00 |
| Wednesday | 12:00 PM – 8:20 PM | – | 8:20 |
| Total | 1:00 | 23:20 = 23.33 h |
At $18 an hour: 23⅓ hours × $18 = $420.00. Pay is always worked out from decimal hours (23.33), never from 23.20, which would underpay you by $2.40.
Hours between two dates
Friday 7:00 PM to Sunday 1:30 PM spans two midnights: 5 h on Friday + 24 h on Saturday + 13 h 30 min on Sunday = 42:30, or 42.50 hours. Tick Add dates to calculate spans like this.
Hours:minutes or decimal hours?
Both show the same amount of time. Hours:minutes (8:25) is how a clock reads, and is easiest to check against your schedule. Decimal hours (8.42) are what payroll, invoices and spreadsheets need, because you can multiply them by a rate. To convert, divide the minutes by 60: 15 minutes = 0.25, 30 = 0.50, 45 = 0.75. The minutes to decimal converter has the full chart.
Hours calculator, time card calculator or time calculator?
- This hours calculator: the hours between a start and an end time, for one shift or a handful of shifts. Quick checks like "how many hours did I work today?"
- Time card calculator: a full weekly or biweekly time card with a row per day, several clock-ins per day, rounding and overtime after 40 hours counted per workweek. Use it for payroll. If you clock out for lunch, the time card calculator with lunch is set up for that.
- Time calculator: add or subtract durations (2 h 45 min + 3 h 30 min), or find the time a number of hours before or after another time.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate the hours between two times?
Write both times in 24-hour form and subtract the start from the end. If the minutes go negative, borrow 60 minutes from the hours. For 1:40 PM to 4:05 PM: 16:05 − 13:40 = 2 hours 25 minutes, or 2.42 decimal hours. If the result is negative, the end is on the next day, so add 24 hours.
How do I calculate hours worked for a night shift that goes past midnight?
Count the hours to midnight, then add the hours after midnight. For 11:00 PM to 7:45 AM: 1 hour before midnight + 7 hours 45 minutes after = 8 hours 45 minutes. The calculator does this automatically: when the end time is earlier than the start time, it is read as the next day and the shift is marked "overnight".
How many hours is 9 to 5? And 8 to 5?
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM is 8 hours. 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM is 9 hours, or 8 hours if you take an unpaid 1-hour lunch. Enter the lunch in the Break field and the calculator takes it off.
How do I take an unpaid break off my hours?
Subtract the break from the time between start and end. 7:30 AM to 4:10 PM is 8 hours 40 minutes; minus a 45-minute unpaid lunch that is 7 hours 55 minutes (7.92 hours). Type the break as minutes (45), as hours and minutes (0:45) or as 1h 15m. Paid breaks, such as short rest breaks, stay in your hours. If you clock out and back in for lunch, the time card calculator with lunch handles the extra punches.
How do I add up my work hours for the week?
Work out each shift, then add them. Press "Add another shift" for each day and the calculator adds them for you. For example 8:00 + 7:00 + 8:20 = 23:20, which is 23.33 decimal hours. For a full weekly or biweekly time card with overtime after 40 hours, use the time card calculator.
How do I calculate pay from hours worked?
Convert the hours to decimal first, then multiply by your hourly rate. 23 hours 20 minutes is 23⅓ hours (about 23.33), and at $18 an hour that is $420.00. The calculator multiplies the exact minutes, not the rounded 23.33 (which would give $419.94), so the pay is correct to the cent. It does not add overtime or take off taxes.
Why is 7:45 not the same as 7.45 hours?
Because an hour has 60 minutes, not 100. 7:45 means 7 hours 45 minutes, which is 7.75 decimal hours (45 ÷ 60 = 0.75). Payroll and invoices usually need decimal hours, so the calculator shows both. The minutes to decimal chart lists every minute from 1 to 59.
Can I calculate hours between two dates, over several days?
Yes. Tick "Add dates" and enter a start date and end date with each time. Friday 7:00 PM to Sunday 1:30 PM is 42 hours 30 minutes (42.50 hours, or 1 day 18 hours 30 minutes). With dates, an end time before the start time on the same day is shown as an error instead of being read as overnight.
What happens if the start and end time are the same?
Without dates the result is 0 hours, because the calculator cannot tell whether you mean no time or a full day. For a 24-hour shift, tick "Add dates" and set the end date to the next day.
Does the calculator handle daylight saving time?
It counts clock hours, the way time cards do, so a 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM shift is always 8 hours. On the night the clocks go back (October 31 to November 1, 2026 in the US) that shift actually lasts 9 hours, and on the night they go forward (March 7 to 8, 2026) it lasts 7. If your shift crosses a clock change, add or take off that hour.
Can I enter 24-hour (military) time?
Yes. Choose 24-hour under Time format and type times like 0630 or 18:45. In 12-hour mode you can still type 18:45 and it is converted for you. Typing 9 and then 5 is read as 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Is my data saved or sent anywhere?
Your times are saved only in your own browser, so they are still there when you come back on the same device. Nothing is sent to our servers. Press Clear to remove them.