Hours between two times
Hours between two times
Enter a start time and an end time to get the hours and minutes between them, in decimal too. Overnight spans that cross midnight are handled automatically. Nothing you type leaves the page.
Getting the AM and PM right
The most common mistake is reading 5 as 5 in the morning when you meant 5 in the afternoon, which turns an 8-hour day into a 20-hour one. Use the AM and PM controls next to each field, or switch to 24-hour and type 17:00. When the end time is genuinely earlier than the start, the span is counted as crossing midnight.
The result reads three ways: hours and minutes (8:30), plain words (8 hr 30 min), and decimal hours (8.50). Use the decimal hours calculator to convert any figure on its own.
When you need more
To subtract an unpaid break, or for a shift built specifically around the midnight cross, use the overnight shift hours calculator. To add up a whole week with lunch and overtime, use the time card calculator, or enter daily hours you already know in the weekly hours calculator.
Common questions
How do you work out the hours between two times?
Subtract the start from the end. From 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM is 8 hours 30 minutes. If the end is earlier than the start, the span crosses midnight and a full day is added, so 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM is 8 hours.
What is 9 to 5 in hours?
Eight hours, if that is 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Use the AM and PM controls so 5 is read as 5 in the afternoon, not 5 in the morning, or switch to 24-hour and enter 09:00 and 17:00.
Does it give the answer in decimal?
Yes. The result shows in hours and minutes, in plain hours and minutes wording, and in decimal hours. Decimal is the form payroll systems use, so 8 hours 30 minutes reads as 8.50.