The formula
How it works
Count the days between two dates, split into weekdays and weekend days. Choose whether to include both end dates, which matters for things like counting notice periods or days of leave.
FAQ
Should I count both end dates?
It depends. For a gap (like time until an event) leave it off. For a span you are “using up” — days of holiday, or a hotel stay counted in nights plus one — turning it on counts the first and last day too.
What counts as a weekday?
Monday to Friday. The calculator counts Saturdays and Sundays as weekend days and everything else as weekdays. It does not know about public holidays, so subtract those yourself if you need working days.
Does it matter which date I put in “From” and which in “To”?
No, the calculator automatically works out the earlier and later date, so you get the same total either way.
How are the whole weeks worked out?
The total number of days is divided by seven and rounded down, so 10 days shows as 1 whole week with the remaining days left over in the daily total.
Can I use this to count nights for a hotel or rental stay?
Yes — enter the check-in date as “From” and check-out as “To” with “count both end dates” off, since a stay from one date to the next is naturally counted in nights, not inclusive days.
Why does the total change when I turn on “count both end dates”?
Turning it on adds one extra day to the total so that both the start and end day are included, which matters when you are counting days you actually occupy, like leave or a stay.
How is this different from the Date Calculator?
This tool focuses on splitting the total into weekdays and weekend days and lets you choose inclusive counting, while the Date Calculator also lets you add or subtract days from a date to find a new one.
About the day counter
This calculator counts the number of days between two dates and breaks the total into weekdays and weekend days. Counting days by hand across months and leap years is slow and error-prone, and separating working days from weekends adds another layer. By working directly with the calendar, this tool gives an exact count and shows how many of those days fall on a weekday.
How to use it
Pick a from-date and a to-date, and choose whether both end dates should be included in the count. The calculator shows the total days, the number of weekdays (Monday to Friday), the number of weekend days, and the equivalent in whole weeks. For example, from 1 January to 1 March 2025 is 59 days, of which 42 are weekdays. Turn on “count both end dates” to add the start and end days when you are counting a span you occupy.
The formula
The base count is the difference between the two dates, , with one added if you choose to include both ends. To split weekdays from weekends, the calculator steps through the range and checks each date’s weekday, tallying Saturdays and Sundays separately. Whole weeks are simply the total days divided by seven, rounded down.
Where it is used
People use it to count down to events, work out notice periods and rental or hotel stays, and total days of leave or sick days. Businesses use the weekday split to estimate working days for deadlines and payroll, and travellers use it to count nights. Whenever a plan hinges on a number of days — and especially working days — this turns two dates into the figures you need.