Workdays Calculator
Calculate business days between two dates for scheduling, deadlines, payroll planning, project timelines, and work tracking. This tool excludes weekends and counts weekdays before holidays or leave are deducted.
Calculate Business Days Between Dates
Enter a start date and end date to calculate total calendar days, business days, weekend days, and workweeks between two dates.
Why Use This Workdays Calculator?
It helps you quickly calculate business days between two dates without manually counting weekdays and weekends.
Plan Projects Faster
Estimate how many business days are available between deadlines, milestones, and work periods.
Useful for Payroll and Scheduling
Great for work planning, payroll periods, delivery estimates, and business-day calculations.
Simple and Accurate
Instantly separate business days from weekends so you can plan more clearly and avoid miscounting.
Workdays Calculator for Scheduling, Payroll, and Project Planning
This free Workdays Calculator helps you calculate business days between two dates for scheduling, work planning, payroll periods, and project timelines. Whether you need a business days calculator, weekdays calculator, or workday calculator for deadlines, this tool makes counting workdays fast and simple.
How to Use the Workdays Calculator
Follow these simple steps to count Monday-through-Friday business days between two dates.
Choose the Start Date
Select the first date in the period you want to measure, such as the day a project begins or a pay period opens.
Choose the End Date
Select the final date. Leave “Include end date” checked when that final date should count as part of the period.
Review the Results
Click Calculate to see calendar days, weekdays, weekend days, and estimated five-day workweeks.
Important: Federal Holidays Are Not Removed Automatically
This calculator counts Monday through Friday and excludes Saturdays and Sundays. It does not automatically remove federal, state, local, company, or personal holidays because holiday schedules differ. Subtract any holidays or planned leave that apply to your situation.
How Business Days Are Calculated
A business-day calculation begins with all dates in the selected period and removes Saturdays and Sundays.
If your workplace closes for holidays, vacation days, or other scheduled leave, subtract closures and leave that fall on weekdays included in your range. Do not deduct weekends again or count a holiday twice if it overlaps leave:
Example: Counting Workdays in a Two-Week Period
Suppose a project runs from Monday, September 7, 2026 through Sunday, September 20, 2026, and the end date is included. That period contains 14 calendar days:
- 10 Monday-through-Friday weekdays
- 4 weekend days
- 2 estimated five-day workweeks
If one of those weekdays is a company holiday, the team would have 9 available working days rather than 10.
Example: Count All the Weekdays in 2027
Enter January 1, 2027 as the start and December 31, 2027 as the end. Keep “Include end date” checked. The result is 365 calendar days, 261 weekdays, and 104 weekend days.
For a standard US federal holiday schedule, subtract the 12 observed holiday dates falling within 2027 to get 249 available working days. This includes December 31, 2027, when New Year’s Day 2028 is observed. Your employer’s closures may differ. See the 2027 working days by month for the full breakdown.
Turn a Workday Count Into Planned Hours
Multiply available working days by the hours you plan to work each day. For example, 10 days at eight hours per day equals 80 hours. For actual shifts and break deductions, use the Work Hours Calculator; use the Timesheet Calculator for weekly totals.
Should You Include the End Date?
Include the end date when work can take place on that date. Exclude it when your planning period ends before that date begins. For contractual deadlines or delivery estimates, follow the counting convention used by the relevant organization. For example, a Monday-through-Friday work period normally counts as five business days when both Monday and Friday are included.
Common Ways to Use a Workdays Calculator
Project Deadlines
Count the weekdays available between a project start date and delivery date, then subtract closures and planned leave.
Payroll Periods
Estimate the weekdays in a pay period before applying the employee’s actual schedule, paid leave, and employer rules.
Freelance Planning
Estimate available working days and multiply them by your realistic billable hours per day.
Delivery Estimates
Check how many weekdays fall between an order date and an estimated delivery date. Check the provider’s cutoff time, holiday calendar, and rules for counting the first day.
Business Days vs. Calendar Days
| Term | What It Usually Includes | Simple Example |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar days | Every date, including weekdays and weekends | Monday through Sunday = 7 days |
| Weekdays | Monday through Friday | Monday through Sunday = 5 weekdays |
| Business days | Usually weekdays when an organization operates | May also exclude holidays and closures |
| Working days | Days a particular person or workplace is scheduled to work | May include weekends for shift workers |
These terms are often used interchangeably, but the exact meaning can depend on the employer, contract, location, or service provider. This calculator uses a standard Monday-through-Friday definition.
Planning Your 2027 Work Schedule?
See the complete monthly breakdown of weekdays, observed US federal holidays, estimated business days, and working hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is considered a business day?
A business day commonly means Monday through Friday, excluding weekends. Some organizations also exclude public holidays and company closures, so check the definition used for your deadline, contract, or workplace.
Does the calculator exclude federal holidays?
No. It removes Saturdays and Sundays automatically, but it does not remove holidays. Holiday schedules vary by country, state, employer, and organization.
Are the start and end dates included?
The start date is included. The end date is included when the “Include end date” box is checked. Uncheck the box if the final date should not be counted.
How many business days are in a normal week?
A standard Monday-through-Friday week contains five business days. Shift schedules and workplaces operating on weekends may use a different definition.
Can I use this calculator for payroll?
You can use it for general planning, but official payroll depends on actual hours, work schedules, paid holidays, leave, employment agreements, and applicable rules. Confirm final figures with official payroll records.
Can I calculate workdays for a part-time or weekend schedule?
This tool uses a standard Monday-through-Friday week. If your regular schedule includes weekends or excludes certain weekdays, use the result only as a starting point and adjust it to match your schedule.