How do I calculate the days between two dates?
The number of days between two dates is the count of midnights between them, so 1 January to 2 January is 1 day; tick the include-end-date option to count both the first and last day. Enter a start and end date in FixDoks's Date Difference Calculator to see the total days, years-months-days, weeks and weekdays between them.
Date Difference Calculator at a glance
| Inputs | Start date, end date, include end date option |
|---|---|
| Output | Total days, years-months-days, weeks, weekdays |
| Processing | In your browser; your files are not uploaded |
| Price | Free |
| Works on | Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone |
How to use Days Between Two Dates
- Pick the start date and the end date.
- Tick Include the end date if both days should count, for example for a leave period.
- Read the total days, years-months-days, weeks and weekdays.
How are the days counted?
By default the calculator counts the number of midnights between the two dates, which is the standard way to measure a duration. From 1 January to 2 January is 1 day. If you are counting days of leave, a hotel stay in nights, or a notice period where both the first and last days count, tick Include the end date to add one day.
Worked example
From 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026:
- Difference = 364 days, or 365 days with the end date included
- Years, months, days = 0 years, 11 months, 30 days
- Weeks = 52 weeks and 0 days
- Weekdays (Monday to Friday) = 260
Weekdays and weekends
The weekday count includes every Monday to Friday from the start date up to, but not including, the end date, unless you tick the include box. It does not know about public holidays, which differ by country, state and employer. To get working days for India, subtract the gazetted and restricted holidays that fall in the period from your office or state holiday list.
Years, months and days
Months have different lengths, so "1 month" is not a fixed number of days. The calculator counts full calendar months first, then the leftover days, using the length of the month just before the end date when it needs to borrow. This matches how age and service periods are usually stated in India and most other countries.
Leap years
A leap year has 366 days, with 29 February added. Years divisible by 4 are leap years, except century years, which must be divisible by 400. So 2028 is a leap year and 2100 is not. The calculator uses the real calendar, so any range that crosses 29 February counts it automatically.
Common uses
- Days left until an exam, a wedding, a trip or a due date.
- Length of service or experience between joining and relieving dates.
- Interest periods for a loan or deposit that pays interest by the day.
- Notice periods, visa stays and warranty periods.
- Project timelines, sprints and delivery schedules in weekdays.
Counting by hand is easy to get wrong because of 30 and 31 day months. A quick check: from the 10th of one month to the 10th of the next is always exactly one month, but it can be 28, 29, 30 or 31 days depending on the month you start in.
If the end date is earlier than the start date, the calculator still shows the gap and tells you the dates are reversed. To find a date a set number of days away, use the Add Days to Date tool instead.