Business Days Calculator
A business days calculator counts the number of working days between two dates, excluding weekends and optionally public holidays. This tool is essential for project managers, HR professionals, and anyone who needs to estimate deadlines, calculate delivery times, or determine payment schedules based on working days rather than calendar days.
Understanding the difference between calendar days and business days is crucial in professional settings. Contracts, shipping estimates, and legal deadlines often specify business days, which can significantly differ from the total number of calendar days. An accurate business days calculator helps you plan ahead and set realistic expectations for any time-sensitive task.
How it works
Business days are calculated by iterating through each day between the start and end dates, counting only Monday through Friday (weekdays). Saturdays and Sundays are excluded. Optionally, public holidays falling on weekdays are also subtracted from the total. The formula is: Business Days = Total Days - Weekend Days - Holiday Days.
Use cases
- Estimating project delivery dates and sprint deadlines
- Calculating shipping and delivery timelines for e-commerce
- Determining payroll periods and payment processing times
- Planning legal or contractual deadlines specified in business days
Frequently asked questions
How do you count business days between two dates?
Iterate through every day between the start and end dates and count only Monday through Friday, excluding Saturdays and Sundays. Public holidays that fall on weekdays can optionally be subtracted as well. The formula is: Business Days = Total Days − Weekend Days − Holiday Days.
What is the difference between business days and calendar days?
Calendar days count every day including weekends and holidays, while business days count only working weekdays. For example, a 10-business-day deadline spans at least 14 calendar days because it crosses two weekends. Contracts, shipping estimates, and legal deadlines often specify business days, which makes the distinction critical.
How many business days are in a year?
A year of 365 or 366 days contains 104 to 106 weekend days, leaving about 260 to 262 weekdays. Subtracting public holidays that fall on weekdays typically brings the total to roughly 250 working days, depending on the country and year. The exact number varies because holidays shift between weekdays and weekends.
Does Saturday count as a business day?
Under the standard convention, no — business days run Monday through Friday, and Saturdays and Sundays are both excluded. Some industries and contracts define working days differently, for example including Saturday for retail operations. When a deadline matters, check how the specific contract or jurisdiction defines a business day.
Are public holidays excluded from business day counts?
Only holidays that fall on a weekday reduce the count — a holiday landing on a Saturday or Sunday changes nothing, since weekends are already excluded. Because public holidays vary by country, state, and even city, the calculator treats them as an optional input. Adding your local holidays gives the most accurate result for legal and delivery deadlines.