Days between dates
Two dates in, one honest number out, and the inclusive-or-exclusive question answered instead of fudged.
Guide
How to use it
- Pick the two dates, order does not matter, the tool swaps if needed.
- Decide the counting rule: exclusive (the default) counts the gap, inclusive counts both end days too.
- Read the days figure, with weeks-and-days and whole months alongside for context.
Examples
The same weekend, three answers
Exclusive: three nights, the hotel bill’s opinion. This is the default because most "days between" questions are really gap questions.
Inclusive: four days touched, the annual-leave form’s opinion if you work weekends, or a medication course’s ("take for 4 days starting Friday").
A year apart is 365 days, except across 29 February. Anniversary maths that lands on real calendars is the whole point of counting properly.
Method
How it works
Dates anchor to midday before subtracting, which makes the count immune to the clocks changing (a naive midnight subtraction gains or loses an hour across BST switches and rounds wrong). Inclusive counting adds one, that is genuinely all it is.
Whole months are calendar months, the 15th to the 15th, however many days that spans, matching how tenancies, subscriptions and contracts read.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which should contracts use, inclusive or exclusive?
Read the wording: "within 14 days of delivery" usually excludes the delivery day itself (exclusive, starting tomorrow). English law’s general rule ignores the day the clock starts. When money depends on it, ask the counterparty to confirm in writing.
Why is my count one off from another website?
The other site made the inclusive/exclusive choice silently. Flip the toggle and you will find their number.
Does it handle leap years and BST?
Yes, real calendar arithmetic with a midday anchor, 29 February counts when it exists, clock changes never shift the total.
Can I count between times, not just dates?
This counts whole days. For hours across time zones, the time zone converter handles clock-accurate differences.
How are the weeks calculated?
Days divided by seven, remainder shown as days, 45 days is 6 weeks 3 days. No pretending months are four weeks.
What about business days?
The working days page: same picker, weekends and UK bank holidays removed.
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