Hours Calculator
Count the hours and minutes between two times, minus breaks. Handles overnight shifts.
Inputs
24-hour (09:00) or 12-hour (9:00 AM) format.
If end is before start, an overnight shift is assumed.
Unpaid break time to deduct.
How many breaks of the above length. Total break = breaks × duration.
Enter a rate to see estimated gross pay. Leave 0 to skip.
Hours Worked
8h 00m
Net hours after deducting breaks.
Decimal Hours
8.0000
Total Minutes Worked
480
Break Time
30min
Overnight Shift
No
Step by step
Raw span (end − start)
17:30 − 09:00
= 8h 30m
Total break
1 break × 30 min
= 30 min
Net hours worked
510 min − 30 min = 480 min
= 8h 00m
How it works
The calculator computes the raw clock span (end minus start in minutes), then deducts unpaid break time. If the end time is earlier than the start time, the shift is treated as crossing midnight, and 24 hours is added to the raw difference. This correctly handles night shifts like 22:00 → 06:00 without needing calendar dates. Gross pay multiplies decimal hours by the optional hourly rate.
Formulas
Raw span
Raw span = end − start + 1440 min (if overnight)
- t_{end}
- End time (minutes from midnight)
- t_{start}
- Start time (minutes from midnight)
Net hours worked
Net time = Raw span − (number of breaks × break duration)
- n_b
- Number of breaks
- t_b
- Duration of each break (minutes)
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the calculator handle overnight shifts?
When end time is earlier than start time (e.g. start 22:00, end 06:00), the calculator automatically adds 24 hours to the raw difference. The result is 8h — no manual adjustment needed.
Can I have multiple breaks of different lengths?
The simplest approach is to sum your breaks and enter them as a single duration. The 'Number of Breaks' field is for repeated breaks of identical length — a common workplace pattern.
What does 'Decimal Hours' mean?
Decimal hours is the decimal representation of the duration. For example, 7h 30m = 7.5 decimal hours. This is useful for payroll calculations and timesheet software.
Is the gross pay before or after tax?
It is gross pay — the raw product of hours worked and hourly rate, before any tax, insurance or other deductions.