Business Days Calculator: Calculate Working Days Between Dates
Whether you’re planning a project timeline, calculating a delivery deadline, or tracking SLA compliance, you need to know how many business days are between two dates — not just calendar days.
The difference matters: a project with a 10-day deadline has 10 calendar days, but only 7-8 business days depending on which days fall on weekends. This can significantly impact your planning and expectations.
The Tooladex Business Days Calculator makes this calculation effortless: select your start and end dates, and instantly get the number of business days (excluding weekends) along with calendar days for comparison. Perfect for accurate project planning, deadline tracking, and working day calculations.
What Are Business Days?
Business days (also called working days) are days when businesses and offices are typically open for operations. In most countries, business days exclude weekends (Saturday and Sunday) and are typically Monday through Friday.
Standard Definition
- Included: Monday through Friday
- Excluded: Saturday and Sunday (weekends)
- Varies by region: Some countries may have different work weeks, but the standard is Monday-Friday
Business days are essential for:
- Project timelines: Understanding how many working days are available
- Deadline calculations: Determining delivery dates and completion deadlines
- SLA tracking: Measuring service level agreements that use business days
- Leave planning: Calculating vacation days and time off
- Delivery estimates: Providing accurate delivery timeframes
- Invoice terms: Calculating payment due dates
- Contract terms: Understanding timeframes in legal agreements
Why Business Days Matter
The difference between calendar days and business days can be significant:
Project Planning
A project with a “2-week” deadline means 14 calendar days, but only 10 business days (excluding 4 weekend days). Understanding this difference is crucial for realistic project planning and resource allocation.
Example: If a task requires 8 business days and you start on a Monday, you’ll finish on the following Wednesday — not the following Monday as calendar days might suggest.
Deadline Calculations
Many contracts, SLAs, and agreements specify timeframes in business days. Calculating these correctly ensures compliance and avoids misunderstandings.
Example: A “5 business day” processing time means a week (7 calendar days) if it doesn’t span a weekend, or 9 calendar days if it includes a weekend.
Resource Planning
Knowing actual working days helps with resource allocation, team scheduling, and capacity planning. You can’t schedule work on weekends, so business days reflect actual capacity.
Example: If your team works 5 days a week, a 15-business-day project spans 3 full weeks, not just 15 calendar days.
How Business Days Calculation Works
Our Business Days Calculator calculates working days between two dates using a straightforward method:
Weekend Exclusion
The calculator automatically identifies and excludes weekends:
- Saturday (day 6 in JavaScript’s Date.getDay())
- Sunday (day 0 in JavaScript’s Date.getDay())
Date Range Calculation
- Start Date: The first date in your range
- End Date: The last date in your range
- Inclusive/Exclusive: Choose whether to include the end date in the count
- Day-by-Day Check: Each day between the dates is checked to see if it’s a weekday
- Count Weekdays: Only Monday-Friday days are counted as business days
Inclusive vs. Exclusive End Date
Inclusive (include end date):
- Both start and end dates are counted
- Example: Monday to Friday (inclusive) = 5 business days
Exclusive (exclude end date):
- Only days between are counted, not including the end date
- Example: Monday to Friday (exclusive) = 4 business days (Monday through Thursday)
Tooladex Business Days Calculator Features
Our calculator provides a comprehensive solution for calculating business days:
⭐ 1. Date Selection
Easy-to-use date pickers for selecting start and end dates. Choose any dates, past or future, to calculate business days between them.
⭐ 2. Quick Date Setting
“Today” buttons allow you to quickly set the current date for start or end date, making it easy to calculate from or to today.
⭐ 3. Weekend Exclusion
Automatically excludes Saturdays and Sundays from the calculation, giving you accurate business day counts.
⭐ 4. Inclusive/Exclusive Option
Choose whether to include the end date in your calculation. This flexibility handles different use cases and requirements.
⭐ 5. Business Days Count
Get the exact number of business days (weekdays) between your selected dates, excluding weekends.
⭐ 6. Calendar Days Comparison
See both business days and calendar days side-by-side to understand the difference and impact of weekends.
⭐ 7. Additional Statistics
View weekends excluded count and weeks count to get a complete picture of your date range.
⭐ 8. Instant Calculation
Results update automatically as you change dates. No button clicking needed — see results instantly.
⭐ 9. Validation & Error Handling
Clear error messages for invalid dates or date ranges, ensuring accurate calculations.
Common Use Cases
Project Planning
Calculate how many working days are available for project timelines, milestones, and deliverables. Essential for realistic project scheduling and resource planning.
Example: A project spanning January 1-15 has 15 calendar days but only 11 business days.
Deadline Calculations
Determine delivery dates, completion deadlines, and submission dates based on business days. Critical for meeting contractual obligations and SLA requirements.
Example: A “10 business day” deadline means different calendar dates depending on which day you start.
SLA Tracking
Calculate service level agreement timelines and response times. Many SLAs specify timeframes in business days, requiring accurate calculations.
Example: A “5 business day” response time SLA must be calculated excluding weekends.
Leave Planning
Calculate how many business days a vacation, sick leave, or other time off period includes. Important for leave balance calculations.
Example: A 2-week vacation has 14 calendar days but typically 10 business days (excluding weekends).
Delivery Estimates
Estimate delivery times for services and products based on business days. Provides customers with accurate expectations.
Example: “3-5 business days” delivery means different actual dates depending on when the order is placed.
Invoice Due Dates
Calculate payment due dates based on business days from invoice date. Common in payment terms like “Net 30” or “Due in 10 business days.”
Example: An invoice dated Friday with “10 business days” terms is due on a specific date, not simply 10 days later.
Contract Terms
Understand timeframes in contracts that specify business days. Essential for legal compliance and avoiding disputes.
Example: A contract requiring action within “7 business days” must account for weekends.
Work Schedule Planning
Plan work schedules and resource allocation based on business days. Helps with capacity planning and team scheduling.
Example: Understanding how many business days are in a month helps with monthly planning and resource allocation.
Compliance Deadlines
Track regulatory and compliance deadlines that use business days. Critical for legal and regulatory compliance.
Example: Regulatory filings with “15 business day” deadlines require accurate business day calculations.
Task Duration Estimation
Estimate how long tasks will take in business days. Helps with realistic task planning and deadline setting.
Example: A task estimated at “5 business days” accounts for weekends, giving a more accurate timeline.
Practical Examples
Here are real-world examples showing how business days calculations work:
Example 1: Project Timeline
Scenario: A project starts on Monday, January 1, 2026 and ends on Friday, January 15, 2026 (inclusive).
Calculation:
- Calendar Days: 15 days (includes all days from Jan 1-15)
- Weekends: 2 weekends (January 4-5 and January 11-12) = 4 days
- Business Days: 15 - 4 = 11 business days
Insight: You have 11 working days to complete the project, not 15 calendar days. This is a 27% reduction in available days when accounting for weekends.
Example 2: Delivery Estimate
Scenario: An order is placed on Friday, January 5, 2026 and has a 5 business day processing time.
Timeline:
- Friday, Jan 5: Order placed (Day 1)
- Saturday-Sunday: Excluded (weekend)
- Monday, Jan 8: Day 2
- Tuesday, Jan 9: Day 3
- Wednesday, Jan 10: Day 4
- Thursday, Jan 11: Day 5
- Friday, Jan 12: Day 6 (processing complete)
Result: The order takes 7 calendar days but only 5 business days. The delivery date is Friday, January 12.
Example 3: Vacation Planning
Scenario: You’re taking vacation from Monday, March 1, 2026 to Friday, March 12, 2026 (inclusive).
Calculation:
- Calendar Days: 12 days
- Weekends: 1 weekend (March 7-8) = 2 days
- Business Days: 12 - 2 = 10 business days
Insight: You’ll use 10 vacation days from your leave balance, not 12. This saves 2 vacation days compared to calendar day counting.
Example 4: SLA Tracking
Scenario: A support ticket is created on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 and has a “3 business day” resolution SLA.
Calculation:
- Tuesday, Feb 3: Ticket created (Day 1)
- Wednesday, Feb 4: Day 2
- Thursday, Feb 5: Day 3
- SLA Deadline: Friday, February 6
Result: The ticket must be resolved by Friday, February 6 (3 business days later), even though it’s only 3 calendar days.
Example 5: Invoice Payment Terms
Scenario: An invoice is dated Monday, April 1, 2026 with payment terms of “Net 15” (15 business days).
Calculation:
- Start: Monday, April 1
- 15 Business Days: Count weekdays only
- Weekends Excluded: April 5-6 and April 12-13
- Due Date: Thursday, April 24 (15 business days later)
Result: Payment is due on April 24, which is 23 calendar days after the invoice date.
Best Practices
Use Business Days for Business Operations
When planning projects, setting deadlines, or calculating timeframes, always use business days if the context involves business operations. This provides realistic expectations and avoids weekend-related misunderstandings.
Account for Holidays Separately
Business days calculators typically exclude only weekends. If you need to exclude holidays, account for them separately or use tools that include holiday calendars. Holidays vary by country and region.
Clarify Inclusive vs. Exclusive
Be clear about whether end dates are included in calculations. Different contexts may require different approaches:
- Deadlines: Usually include the end date
- Time periods: May exclude the end date
- Contracts: Check the specific language used
Consider Time Zones
For international projects or distributed teams, consider time zones when calculating business days. A date may be a business day in one timezone but a weekend in another.
Document Your Calculations
Keep records of how business days were calculated, especially for important deadlines or contracts. This provides clarity and can prevent disputes.
Validate Important Calculations
For critical deadlines or legal matters, double-check your business days calculations. Consider using multiple methods or tools to verify results.
Frequently Asked Questions
What days are excluded as business days?
Our calculator excludes weekends (Saturday and Sunday) from business day calculations. This is the standard definition of business days in most countries. The calculator does not exclude holidays by default — if you need holiday exclusion, you would need to account for that separately.
Does the calculator exclude holidays?
No, the calculator does not exclude holidays. It only excludes weekends (Saturday and Sunday). If you need to exclude holidays, you would need to account for them manually or use a more specialized tool that includes holiday calendars. Holidays vary by country and region, so we focus on the universal weekend exclusion.
What’s the difference between “include end date” and “exclude end date”?
Include end date: Both the start date and end date are counted. For example, from Monday to Friday (inclusive) = 5 business days.
Exclude end date: Only days between the dates are counted, not including the end date. For example, from Monday to Friday (exclusive) = 4 business days (Monday through Thursday).
The choice depends on your use case — for example, if calculating a deadline, you might want to include the end date. If calculating days between events, you might exclude it.
Can I calculate business days for dates in the past?
Yes! The calculator works for any dates, whether in the past, present, or future. You can calculate business days between any two dates, regardless of when they occur.
What if the start date or end date falls on a weekend?
If the start date or end date falls on a weekend and you have “include end date” enabled, that weekend day is still excluded from business days. Business days only count weekdays (Monday-Friday). If you need to include a weekend day, you would need to adjust your dates to the nearest weekday.
How accurate is the calculation?
The calculator is 100% accurate for weekend exclusion. It correctly identifies Saturdays and Sundays and excludes them from the count. The calculation uses JavaScript’s Date object and accounts for all calendar days accurately.
Does this work for different countries and regions?
The calculator uses the standard definition of business days (Monday-Friday, excluding weekends). This is the most common definition worldwide. However, some countries or regions may have different work weeks (e.g., Sunday-Thursday in some Middle Eastern countries). The calculator currently uses the standard Monday-Friday work week.
Can I calculate business days for a single day?
Yes! If you set the start date and end date to the same day, the calculator will return:
- If include end date: 1 business day if it’s a weekday, 0 if it’s a weekend
- If exclude end date: 0 business days
Why do some weeks have 5 business days and others have fewer?
The number of business days in a week depends on which days the date range covers. A full week (Monday-Friday) has 5 business days. If your date range starts mid-week or ends mid-week, you’ll have fewer than 5 business days in that partial week.
How do I account for holidays in my calculations?
The calculator doesn’t automatically exclude holidays. To account for holidays, you would need to:
- Calculate business days using the calculator
- Manually identify holidays in your date range
- Subtract holiday days from the business days count
- Or use a specialized tool that includes holiday calendars
Try the Tooladex Business Days Calculator
The Tooladex Business Days Calculator helps you:
- Calculate business days between any two dates instantly
- Exclude weekends (Saturday and Sunday) automatically
- Compare business days vs. calendar days
- Choose to include or exclude the end date
- Set dates quickly with “Today” buttons
- Get accurate results for project planning and deadlines
Whether you’re planning projects, calculating deadlines, tracking SLAs, planning leave, or working with any business timeframes, this tool makes business days calculation simple and accurate.
✔ Automatic weekend exclusion
✔ Business days and calendar days comparison
✔ Inclusive/exclusive end date option
✔ Quick date setting with “Today” buttons
✔ Instant calculation as dates change
✔ Works for any dates (past, present, future)
✔ Clear validation and error messages
✔ Additional statistics (weeks, weekends excluded)
Try it now — and start calculating business days with confidence.
Business Days Calculator
Calculate business days between two dates, excluding weekends. Perfect for project planning, deadline calculations, SLA tracking, and working day calculations.