Free tool
Hours calculator: time duration between two times
Type a start time and an end time the way you would write them (8:45, 845, 8:45am) and see the duration between them as hours and minutes and as decimal hours, with the steps shown. Take off a break, go past midnight, span several days, or switch to adding up a list of hours.
Time between the two times
8:00
8 hours · 8.00 decimal hours · 480 minutes
How it is counted
- From 09:00 to 17:00 is 8 hours.
- From 17:00 to 17:30 is 30 minutes.
- Together: 8 hours 30 minutes.
- Less the 30 minutes break: 8 hours.
- As a decimal: 8 + 0 ÷ 60 = 8.00 hours.
Put this calculator on your own site
Free to use on any site, with no sign-up and no tracking. Paste this where the calculator should appear. The credit line under it is ordinary HTML: keep it, change it or remove it.
Updated 13 November 2026
What the calculator does
- Reads times as you type them: 8:45, 845, 0845, 8.45, 8:45am and 5pm all work, in 12-hour or 24-hour form.
- Shows the result three ways: hours and minutes (8:30), decimal hours (8.50) and total minutes (510).
- Lists the steps for your own numbers, so you can check the answer or copy the method.
- Takes off an unpaid break, and counts an end time earlier than the start as the next day.
- Counts across several days when you add a start and an end date.
- Adds up a list of durations (7:45, 6h 50m, 8.5) in the second tab, for a week of hours.
- Multiplies by an hourly rate if you enter one.
- Keeps your numbers in the page address, so you can bookmark a calculation or send the link to someone.
How the hours are calculated
Total = end − start − break. If the end time is earlier than the start time and no dates are entered, the span crossed midnight and 24 hours are added before subtracting.
With both dates entered, each full day between them adds 24 hours: total = days × 24 hours + end time − start time − break.
Example
08:45 to 17:15 with a 30-minute lunch: 8 h 30 min − 30 min = 8:00, or 8.00 decimal hours.
How long is it between two times?
To work it out by hand, count up to the next full hour, then the full hours, then the minutes that are left.
- From 08:45 to 09:00 is 15 minutes.
- From 09:00 to 17:00 is 8 hours.
- From 17:00 to 17:15 is 15 minutes.
- Together: 8 hours 30 minutes, or 8.50 decimal hours.
Hours between two dates and times
Count the days between the two dates, multiply by 24, then add the end time and subtract the start time. From Monday 3 March at 22:00 to Wednesday 5 March at 06:30 is 2 days, so 48 hours + 6:30 − 22:00 = 32:30, or 32.50 decimal hours.
The calculator counts clock time on the calendar. If the clocks go forward or back inside the span, the real elapsed time is one hour less or more than the result.
Adding up hours and minutes
Add the hours and the minutes separately, then turn every 60 minutes into one hour. 7:45 + 6:50 + 8:40 is 21 hours and 135 minutes; 135 minutes is 2 hours 15 minutes, so the sum is 23:15, or 23.25 decimal hours.
For a whole week of start and end times, the time card calculator adds the days for you.
Frequently asked questions
Does it work for overnight shifts?
Yes. With no dates entered, an end time earlier than the start time is treated as the next day.
Can it count hours across several days?
Yes. Enter both a start date and an end date and the result covers the whole span, shown as total hours and as days plus hours.
How do I convert the result to decimal?
The calculator shows both. Decimal hours = hours + minutes ÷ 60.
How many hours is 9 to 5?
8 hours. With a 30-minute unpaid break it is 7:30, or 7.50 decimal hours.
Is a time duration calculator the same as an hours calculator?
Yes. Both give the time between a start and an end. This one shows it as hours and minutes, as decimal hours and as total minutes.
Can I type times in am and pm?
Yes. 8:45am, 5pm and 12:30 AM are read as 12-hour times; 17:15 and 0845 as 24-hour times. The link above the result switches how the steps are written.
How do I add up hours and minutes?
Open the tab "Add up hours" and put one duration on each line. 7:45, 6:50 and 8:40 give 23:15, or 23.25 decimal hours.
Can I put the calculator on my own website?
Yes, free. Open "Put this calculator on your own site" under the calculator and paste the code.
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