Hours calculator
Enter when you started and when you finished, take off your break, and get the time worked as hours and minutes and as a decimal for timesheets. Add a day count and an hourly rate to turn it into pay for a whole period.
Result
- Hours worked per day
- 8h 30m
- Decimal hours (for timesheets)
- 8.5 hours
How to use this tool
- Enter the start time and end time using the 24-hour clock.
- Enter the unpaid break in minutes, or 0 if you had none. The hours update instantly.
- Set the number of days to see the total for a week or a pay period.
- Add your hourly rate if you want to see gross pay, then copy the result or share the link.
Good to know
- Times use the 24-hour clock. An end time at or before the start time is counted as the next day, so 09:00 to 09:00 is a 24-hour shift.
- The break is subtracted once per day and is treated as unpaid; enter 0 if your breaks are paid.
- Pay is gross: hours × days × rate, with no overtime premiums, tax or deductions.
Frequently asked questions
How are the hours between two times calculated?
The calculator converts both times to minutes since midnight, subtracts the start from the end and then takes off the break. 09:00 to 18:00 is 540 minutes; minus a 30-minute lunch that is 510 minutes, shown as 8h 30m and as 8.5 decimal hours. Days multiply that daily figure, so 5 days give 42h 30m.
What if my shift goes past midnight?
If the end time is at or before the start time, the tool assumes the shift ends the next day and adds 24 hours. A 22:00 to 06:00 night shift is counted as 8 hours before the break, and a note tells you the overnight rule was applied. Entering the same time twice gives a full 24-hour shift.
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours for a timesheet?
Divide the minutes by 60. Fifteen minutes is 0.25 hours, 20 minutes is 0.33, 30 minutes is 0.5 and 45 minutes is 0.75, so 8 hours 20 minutes becomes 8.33 hours. Payroll systems multiply decimal hours by the hourly rate, which is why the tool shows both formats and rounds the decimal to two places.
Should breaks be subtracted from hours worked?
It depends on your contract and local law. Under US federal rules, short rest breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes are generally paid working time, while a genuine meal period of 30 minutes or more during which you are fully relieved of duties is usually unpaid. Enter only unpaid breaks here, and set the field to 0 if your breaks are paid.
How is the pay figure worked out, and does it include overtime?
Pay is hours worked per day, multiplied by the number of days, multiplied by your hourly rate: 8.5 hours over 5 days at $20 is $850. It is gross pay before tax and deductions and uses a single flat rate, so overtime premiums, night differentials, tips and bonuses are not included. Use it to check a payslip or estimate a job, not as a legal calculation.
Results are estimates for general information. Double-check anything important with an official source.