How to Calculate Business Days Between Two Dates
Key Takeaways
- Business Days are Monday–Friday, excluding weekends and official holidays.
- The Formula: Total Days - (Weekends) - (Holidays) = Business Days.
- Excel Tip: Use the function
=NETWORKDAYS()to automate this instantly. - US vs Canada: Remember that holidays differ (e.g., Thanksgiving is October in Canada, November in the US).
Whether you are calculating a project deadline, an invoice due date, or a shipping estimate, knowing the exact number of "Business Days" is critical. A simple calendar count will result in missed deadlines.
The Manual Formula
To calculate business days manually, you follow a subtraction method:
- Count Total Days: Count every day between Start Date and End Date.
- Subtract Weekends: Remove all Saturdays and Sundays.
- Subtract Holidays: Remove any federal/statutory holidays that fall on a weekday.
Example: 2-Week Project
If a project runs from July 1 to July 14:
- Total Days: 14
- Weekends: -4 days (2 Saturdays, 2 Sundays)
- Holidays: -1 day (July 4th Independence Day)
- Business Days: 9
Common Holidays (US vs. Canada)
The biggest source of error is forgetting holidays, especially if you work with cross-border teams.
| Holiday | United States 🇺🇸 | Canada 🇨🇦 |
|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving | 4th Thursday in Nov | 2nd Monday in Oct |
| Labor Day | 1st Monday in Sept | 1st Monday in Sept |
| National Day | July 4 (Independence) | July 1 (Canada Day) |
| Victoria/Memorial | Last Mon in May | Mon before May 25 |
How to do it in Excel
Excel has a built-in function that does this instantly. It is called NETWORKDAYS.
Note: You must create a separate list of holiday dates in your spreadsheet and select them for the [Holidays] part of the formula.
The Faster Way
Don't want to build a spreadsheet? Use our free calculator. It automatically knows the holidays for both the US and Canada for 2025 and beyond.
Open Business Days Calculator →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the "End Date Included" rule?
When calculating, you must decide if the deadline day counts as a work day. Our calculator lets you toggle "Include End Date" on or off to suit your contract needs.
How many business days are in a month?
On average, a month has 21 business days. However, months like February may have as few as 19, while others have 23.
Do Saturdays count as business days?
Standard business days are Monday–Friday. However, industries like retail or real estate often consider Saturday a working day.