Hours Calculator – Calculate Hours Worked Online

Calculate hours worked between two times or two dates in seconds. This free time worked calculator gives you total hours and minutes—perfect for payroll, time tracking, and scheduling. No signup.

Need break deduction, overtime, or weekly timesheets? Use our Work Hours Calculator for breaks, overtime, and CSV export.

Hours Between Two Times

Modify the values and click the Calculate button to use

Start Time

End Time

Hours Between Two Dates

Start Time

End Time

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What is an Hours Worked Calculator?

An hours worked calculator (or time worked calculator) computes the total duration between two times or dates and shows the result in hours and minutes. This free online calculator lets you calculate hours worked in seconds—no manual math, no signup. Use it for payroll, time tracking, scheduling, and billing.

Whether you're tracking work hours for payroll, calculating billable time for clients, or monitoring study sessions, our hours calculator provides instant, accurate results. The tool handles complex scenarios like overnight shifts, multi-day projects, and time periods spanning different dates—all without requiring any registration or software installation.

Perfect for time tracking, payroll processing, project management, and personal productivity, this calculator solves the common problem of accurately determining time duration between two points. No more counting hours on your fingers or struggling with time zone conversions—our calculator does it all automatically.

Calculate Work Hours and Time Worked

Our hours calculator is perfect for calculating work hours, time worked, and shift durations. Simply enter your start and end times to get instant results. For example, calculate work hours from 9 AM to 5 PM to get 8 hours worked instantly.

This tool is ideal for employees tracking daily work hours, freelancers calculating billable time, and HR departments processing payroll. The calculator automatically handles AM/PM conversions and overnight shifts, making it easy to count hours worked accurately.

For work-specific features like break time deduction, overtime calculation, and weekly totals, see our dedicated Work Hours Calculator which includes advanced features for timesheet management and payroll processing.

When to Use an Hours Calculator

Work Shifts and Timesheets

Employees and hourly workers can quickly calculate their daily work hours for accurate timesheet submission. Whether you work a standard 9-to-5 shift or irregular hours, simply enter your start and end times to get your total hours worked. This is especially useful for tracking overtime hours and ensuring accurate payroll processing.

Freelance Billing

Freelancers and independent contractors can use this work hours calculator to track billable hours for client projects. Calculate time duration for each task or project session, then multiply by your hourly rate to determine accurate invoicing amounts. This helps ensure you're compensated fairly for all your work.

Payroll Processing

HR departments and payroll administrators rely on hours calculators to verify employee time records and calculate wages. This payroll hours calculator helps process weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly payroll by accurately computing total hours worked, including regular hours and overtime.

Overtime Calculations

Determine if employees have exceeded standard work hours and calculate overtime pay. Our calculator makes it easy to see total hours worked in a day or week, helping you identify when overtime rates apply according to your local labor laws.

Study and Practice Tracking

Students can track study sessions, practice time, or project work hours. Whether preparing for exams, learning a new skill, or working on assignments, this calculator helps you monitor time spent and maintain productive study habits.

How to Use the Hours Calculator (Step-by-Step)

Our hours calculator offers two calculation modes: calculating hours between two times on the same day, or calculating hours between two dates with specific times. Here's how to use each:

Hours Between Two Times

  1. Enter your start time using the time input field (e.g., 08:30)
  2. Select AM or PM from the dropdown menu
  3. Enter your end time (e.g., 05:30)
  4. Select AM or PM for the end time
  5. Click the "Calculate" button to see the time difference
  6. Use the "Now" button next to either time field to quickly set the current time

The calculator automatically handles overnight shifts (when end time is earlier than start time, indicating the next day). Results display in hours and minutes format (e.g., "8 hours 30 minutes").

Hours Between Two Dates

  1. Select your start date using the date picker
  2. Enter the start time and select AM/PM
  3. Select your end date
  4. Enter the end time and select AM/PM
  5. Click "Calculate" to see total hours across the date range

This mode is perfect for calculating hours worked across multiple days, such as project durations or weekly work hours. The calculator accounts for full 24-hour days between your selected dates.

Understanding the Results

The calculator displays results in a clear format showing total hours and minutes. For example, if you work from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, the result will show "8 hours 30 minutes". This format makes it easy to convert to decimal hours for payroll (8.5 hours) or to verify against your timesheet records.

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Office Worker

Scenario: Sarah works a standard office shift from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM with a 30-minute lunch break.

Input:

  • Start Time: 9:00 AM
  • End Time: 5:30 PM

Calculation: The calculator computes the difference: 5:30 PM - 9:00 AM = 8 hours 30 minutes

Result: 8 hours 30 minutes (Note: Subtract 30 minutes manually for lunch break = 8 hours worked)

Example 2: Freelancer

Scenario: Mark is billing a client for a design project. He worked from 10:15 AM to 3:45 PM on Monday, then 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM on Tuesday.

Day 1 Input:

  • Start Time: 10:15 AM
  • End Time: 3:45 PM

Day 1 Result: 5 hours 30 minutes

Day 2 Input:

  • Start Time: 2:00 PM
  • End Time: 6:30 PM

Day 2 Result: 4 hours 30 minutes

Total Billable Hours: 10 hours (5.5 + 4.5 hours)

Example 3: Shift Worker with Overnight Hours

Scenario: Maria works the night shift from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM the next day.

Input:

  • Start Date: Monday, January 15
  • Start Time: 11:00 PM
  • End Date: Tuesday, January 16
  • End Time: 7:00 AM

Calculation: The calculator handles the overnight shift by calculating from 11:00 PM Monday to 7:00 AM Tuesday.

Result: 8 hours 0 minutes

Note: For overnight shifts, always use the "Hours Between Two Dates" calculator to ensure accurate results.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate hours worked online?

Use this free hours worked calculator: enter your start time and end time (with AM/PM), then click Calculate. You get total time worked in hours and minutes instantly. For the same day use "Hours Between Two Times"; for multiple days use "Hours Between Two Dates." For break deduction, overtime, and weekly totals, use our Work Hours Calculator.

How do I count hours worked?

Enter your start time and end time in the calculator above. The tool automatically calculates total hours and minutes worked. For example, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM is 9 hours. For weekly totals and break time deduction, use our Work Hours Calculator.

What's the difference between hours calculator and work hours calculator?

An hours calculator gives time duration between any two times. A work hours calculator adds break time deduction, overtime, and weekly totals. Use our Hours Calculator for simple duration; use our Work Hours Calculator for work-specific features.

How do I calculate hours between two times?

Enter your start time and end time, select AM or PM for each, and click Calculate. For the same day use "Hours Between Two Times"; for multiple days use "Hours Between Two Dates." Results show hours and minutes.

Does this include break time?

The calculator shows total time between your start and end times (including any break). To exclude break time, subtract it from the result. For example, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM (8.5 hours) minus a 30-minute lunch = 8 hours worked. For automatic break deduction, use our Work Hours Calculator.

Can I calculate weekly work hours?

Yes. Calculate hours for each day with this calculator, then add the daily totals. For example, 8 + 8.5 + 7.5 + 9 + 8 = 41 hours per week. For a weekly timesheet with breaks and overtime, use our Work Hours Calculator.

Is this hours calculator free?

Yes. It's free to use with no registration, no signup, and no hidden fees. All calculations run in your browser; your data never leaves your device.

Can I use it for payroll?

Yes. Enter start and end times for each day, get daily totals, then sum them for weekly or bi-weekly payroll. For break deduction and overtime, use our Work Hours Calculator.

Does it work on mobile devices?

Yes. The hours calculator is responsive and works on phones, tablets, and desktops. You can calculate hours between two times on any device with a web browser.

How accurate is the hours calculator?

Results are precise to the minute. It handles overnight shifts, multi-day periods, and midnight crossings correctly. Reliable for payroll, billing, and time tracking.

Limitations & Edge Cases

Midnight Crossing

When calculating hours between two times on the same day, if your end time appears earlier than your start time (e.g., start: 11:00 PM, end: 2:00 AM), the calculator assumes you mean the next day and adds 24 hours automatically. However, for clarity and accuracy with overnight shifts, we recommend using the "Hours Between Two Dates" calculator and explicitly selecting both dates.

Time Zones

Our calculator works with the times you enter as-is and doesn't automatically convert between time zones. If you're calculating hours across different time zones, you'll need to convert both times to the same time zone first, or use a dedicated time zone converter. For time zone conversions, consider using our time converter tool.

Daylight Saving Time

The calculator doesn't automatically account for daylight saving time (DST) changes. If your calculation spans a DST transition date, the result may be off by one hour. For precise calculations during DST periods, consider the specific dates and whether DST is in effect for your location.

Manual Entry Mistakes

Always double-check your input times before calculating. Common mistakes include selecting the wrong AM/PM period, entering times in the wrong format, or selecting incorrect dates. The calculator will show an error message if the end time is before the start time in the date calculator mode, helping you catch input errors.

Break Time Calculation

The calculator shows total elapsed time between your entered times, which includes breaks. To calculate actual work hours excluding breaks, calculate the total time first, then manually subtract break durations. For example, if you work 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM (8.5 hours) with a 1-hour lunch break, your actual work hours would be 7.5 hours.

Related Tools and Resources

Explore our other productivity calculators and time tools to enhance your workflow:

For more time management and productivity tools, browse our complete collection of date and time tools designed to help you work more efficiently.

💡 Tip: Use the "Now" buttons to quickly set current time for accurate calculations.