Time & dates
Business days calculator
Count Monday-to-Friday working days between a start and end date. Choose whether to include the end date for an inclusive count.
How to calculate it
This calculator counts only Monday to Friday, skipping every Saturday and Sunday. By default it measures the same midnight-to-midnight boundaries as the days between dates calculator, so a full Monday-to-Friday working week gives four working days, not five, unless you include the end date. Turn on “Include end date” to also count the end date itself, if it falls on a weekday.
Worked examples
| Example | Working | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Mon 5 Jan to Fri 9 Jan 2026 | End date excluded | 4 working days |
| Mon 5 Jan to Fri 9 Jan 2026 | Both dates included | 5 working days |
| Fri 9 Jan to Mon 12 Jan 2026 | End date excluded | 1 working day |
| Fri 9 Jan to Mon 12 Jan 2026 | Both dates included | 2 working days |
| Mon 5 Jan to Mon 19 Jan 2026 | Two full weeks; end excluded | 10 working days |
| Sat 10 Jan to Sun 11 Jan 2026 | A weekend; end excluded | 0 working days |
Frequently asked questions
Does this exclude public holidays?
No. Only Saturdays and Sundays are excluded. Public holidays vary by country and region, so add or subtract them yourself for a specific holiday calendar.
Why is a Monday-to-Friday week only 4 working days by default?
By default the end date is excluded, matching the days between dates calculator. Turn on “Include end date” to count both the start and end weekdays, giving five.
What happens if the start or end date falls on a weekend?
A weekend start or end date is not itself counted as a working day, but every weekday in between still is. Starting or ending the count on a Saturday or Sunday does not change how the weekdays between them are counted.
Is this the same as counting business days for payroll or contracts?
It uses the same Monday-to-Friday definition most contracts and payroll systems use, but does not know about public holidays or non-standard working weeks. Check the specific contract or local rules for anything that depends on an exact legal working-day count.
Can I use this for a working week that is not Monday to Friday?
No. This tool assumes a standard Monday-to-Friday working week. For a different pattern, such as a six-day week, count manually using a calendar.
Method: Gregorian calendar arithmetic. Examples are illustrative. How our calculators work.