Hours Calculator
Work out the hours between two times, minus any break, in hours and decimal.
To find the hours between two times, subtract the start from the end and take off any unpaid break. From 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM with a 30-minute break is 7 hours 30 minutes, or 7.50 decimal hours. If the end time is earlier than the start, the shift runs overnight and the calculator adds 24 hours. Enter your times to get hours, minutes, and decimal hours.
Results are estimates provided for general information.
Total worked
7h 30m
- Decimal hours (for pay)
- 7.50
- Total minutes
- 450
- Unpaid break
- 30 min
About the Hours Calculator
This calculator works out how many hours fall between a start time and an end time, which is the core of any timesheet. Enter when you clocked in and out, subtract an unpaid break if you took one, and it returns the result two ways: as hours and minutes, and as decimal hours. Decimal hours are what most payroll systems expect, since 7 hours 30 minutes is paid as 7.5, not 7.30. Overnight shifts are handled automatically. When the end time is earlier than the start, such as 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM, the calculator treats it as finishing the next day and adds the missing 24 hours instead of returning a negative number. Breaks are subtracted as unpaid minutes, so a 30-minute lunch reduces an 8-hour span to 7.5 paid hours. For a full week across several days, use the time card calculator, which totals each day for you.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate hours between two times?+
Subtract the start time from the end time, then subtract any unpaid break. 9:00 to 17:00 is 8 hours; take off a 30-minute break and you have 7.5.
How do I calculate hours across midnight?+
When the end time is earlier than the start, the shift runs into the next day. The calculator adds 24 hours, so 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM is 8 hours, not a negative number.
What are decimal hours?+
Decimal hours express minutes as a fraction of an hour, which is how payroll pays time. 7 hours 30 minutes is 7.5 decimal hours, and 7 hours 15 minutes is 7.25.
Should I subtract my lunch break?+
If the break is unpaid, yes. Enter the break in minutes and the calculator removes it from the total, so a 60-minute unpaid lunch turns a 9-hour span into 8 paid hours.