Count working days between two dates — weekends and your holidays excluded.
Results are estimates for planning purposes and are not financial, medical, or professional advice.
How to Use the Business Days Calculator
Counting business days by hand is tedious and error-prone. This calculator counts the working days between two dates and also reports the calendar-day total for comparison.
- Enter the start date and the end date of the period.
- Optionally list holidays to exclude, one date per line in YYYY-MM-DD format. Leave the box empty if none apply.
- Calculate to see the business days, the total calendar days and how many days were skipped.
Business Days Calculator Formula
Business days equal total calendar days minus weekend days minus listed holidays that fall on weekdays. Because weekends shift with the calendar, the calculator checks each date one by one: a date counts when it falls Monday to Friday and is not in your holiday list.
Example Calculation
Take Monday, January 6, 2025 to Friday, January 31, 2025: 26 calendar days. Six are Saturdays and Sundays (January 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26), leaving 26 − 6, or 20 business days. Listing Monday, January 20, 2025 as a holiday excludes that weekday too, dropping the count to 19.
Inclusive or Exclusive? How the Count Works
This count is inclusive: both the start date and the end date are included whenever they qualify, matching most contracts, payroll periods and project plans. If a deadline rule excludes the start date instead, subtract one business day when the start date itself is a working day.
In Excel or Google Sheets
Spreadsheets offer the same count through NETWORKDAYS: give it a start date, an end date and optionally holiday dates, and it returns the inclusive weekday count. This page is quicker for a one-off check.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a business day?
Typically Monday through Friday, excluding public holidays. Some regions differ, for example where the weekend falls on Friday and Saturday.
Do public holidays count as business days?
No. List them in the calculator and they are excluded from the count, matching how most workplaces and contracts treat them.
How is this different from counting calendar days?
Calendar days include weekends and holidays. A 30-day deadline might contain only 20 to 22 business days, which matters for contracts and project plans.
Can I add business days to a date instead?
This calculator counts business days between two dates rather than adding days to a start date. To plan a deadline, try a later end date and check the count.
Why do banks use business days for transfers?
Payment systems operate on business days, so a transfer initiated Friday evening may not process until Monday.
Does the count include the start and end dates?
Yes. The count is inclusive: every date from start through end counts whenever it is a weekday that is not a listed holiday.
How do I count business days in Excel or Google Sheets?
Use NETWORKDAYS with a start date, end date and optional holiday list, for example =NETWORKDAYS(A1, B1, C1:C5). It counts weekdays inclusively, matching this calculator.
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