Hours Calculator

Find the total time between a start and end time, minus any break. Overnight shifts are handled automatically, and the result is shown in hours and minutes and as decimal hours.

Total time —
Decimal hours — hours
Total minutes — minutes

How to Calculate Hours Worked

Three steps, all in your browser.

1

Enter start and end times

Type or pick the clock times the shift began and ended. Use the same 24-hour or AM/PM picker your device shows — the math is identical either way.

2

Add any break

Enter unpaid break time in minutes to deduct it from the total. Leave it at zero for a fully paid shift.

3

Read the total

See the result in hours and minutes and as decimal hours for payroll. Tracking a whole week? Open the Timecard Calculator for daily totals and pay.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the hours calculator handle overnight shifts?
If the end time is earlier than the start time, the calculator assumes the shift crossed midnight and adds 24 hours to the end before subtracting. So a shift from 22:00 to 06:00 is correctly counted as 8 hours rather than a negative number. You do not need to flag an overnight shift — just enter the clock times as they appear and the tool works out the direction. The only case it cannot guess is a shift longer than 24 hours, which you would split into separate days.
Does it subtract break time?
Yes. Enter the total unpaid break in minutes and it is deducted from the worked time. For example, a shift from 09:00 to 17:30 is 8 hours 30 minutes; with a 30-minute lunch break the paid total becomes 8 hours 0 minutes. If the break you enter is longer than the time worked the result is shown as zero rather than a negative figure, and a note explains why. Leave the break field blank or at zero if the whole shift is paid.
What is the difference between HH:MM and decimal hours?
HH:MM shows the duration the way a clock does — for example 7 hours and 45 minutes is 7:45. Decimal hours express the same duration as a single number for payroll math: 7:45 becomes 7.75 because 45 minutes is three-quarters of an hour. Payroll systems and invoices usually want decimal hours, so the calculator shows both. To convert manually you divide the minutes by 60, so 45 ÷ 60 = 0.75.
Is the hours calculator free and private?
Yes. The tool is completely free with no account, no sign-up and no limits, and every calculation happens locally in your browser. The times you enter are never sent to a server or stored, so there is nothing to log. Once the page has loaded it works offline, which makes it handy for quickly checking a shift length on a phone. For a full week of shifts and pay, use the companion Timecard Calculator.