How to count the days between two dates, and whether to count the last.
Counting days between dates gives a different answer depending on whether the last day counts. How the Date calculator counts, in days, weeks and months.
By Suraj Kumar4 min read
From 1 to 5 May is 4 days or 5, depending on what you are counting. The Date calculator says which way it counted, every time.
Counting nights, or counting days.
A plain difference counts the nights between: 1 to 2 January is 1 day. That is the right answer for how long until something, or how long ago. For a holiday or a leave, people count both the first and the last day, so 1 to 5 May is 5 days. Turn on Count the last day too for that, and the answer says it was counted.
In days, weeks and months.
The answer is given first in years, months and days, then in days in all and in weeks and days. Months are counted from the first date's day of the month, as calendars do, which is why 31 January to 28 February is 28 days rather than a month.
Only the working days.
To leave out weekends and public holidays, ask for working days instead: choose the country, and the region if its holidays differ, and the weekend days if yours are not Saturday and Sunday.
Further reading
Topics: days between dates · date calculator · how many days between · count days · date difference · date duration
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