Free hours calculator
Enter a start and end time — this hours calculator returns the total hours worked in both decimal and hours:minutes format, including overnight shifts, updated live, as you type.
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Net hours = clock-out − clock-in − break time.
Results are estimates. Consult a professional.
How the hours calculator works
Enter a start time and an end time and the calculator returns the difference in decimal hours, in hours and minutes, or both. It handles overnight shifts automatically — if the end time is earlier than the start time, the calculator adds 24 hours to account for the shift crossing midnight. This is the standard method used in payroll and timesheet software.
Worked example: overnight shift 10 PM to 6 AM
A nurse works an overnight shift starting at 10:00 PM and finishing at 6:00 AM the following morning. The end time is earlier than the start time, so the calculator adds 24 hours to the end.
Minutes to decimal hours conversion table
Payroll systems almost always require decimal hours. Use this table to convert the minutes portion of any shift quickly.
| Minutes | Decimal fraction |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0.00 |
| 15 | 0.25 |
| 20 | 0.33 |
| 30 | 0.50 |
| 40 | 0.67 |
| 45 | 0.75 |
Source: US DOL FLSA timesheet guidance. Add the decimal fraction to the whole hours to get the payroll entry (e.g. 7 h 45 min = 7.75).
Tips for calculating work hours
Accurate hour tracking protects both employees and employers. These tips cover the most common sources of error.
- Always use decimal hours for payroll — most payroll software multiplies the decimal figure by the hourly rate. Entering 7:30 as 7.30 (not 7.50) will under-pay by 20 minutes worth of wages.
- Account for unpaid breaks — if an employee takes a 30-minute unpaid lunch, calculate the morning and afternoon blocks separately and add them, rather than subtracting from the full shift duration.
- Check overnight shifts twice — an 8-hour shift on a 12-hour clock that goes from 9 PM to 5 AM looks like 4 hours at first glance. The calculator handles this automatically when you enter the correct AM/PM.
- Round consistently — the FLSA allows rounding to the nearest 5 or 15 minutes, but the rounding must be neutral across employees. Confirm your employer's rounding policy before applying it.
- Sum daily totals before multiplying — add all daily hour totals for the week first, then multiply by the hourly rate. Rounding each day individually can introduce small cumulative errors.
Accuracy and limitations
The hours calculator is exact to the minute for any same-day or overnight shift up to 24 hours. It uses 12-hour or 24-hour clock input and converts internally to minutes before dividing, so there are no rounding errors within a single shift calculation.
The calculator does not handle multi-day shifts longer than 24 hours, nor does it calculate overtime thresholds, holiday pay, or premium rates — those depend on your jurisdiction and employment contract. For weekly totals or payroll processing, enter each shift separately and add the results.
Hours calculator terms defined
About this hours calculator
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