Calculate days between two dates in Excel (7 examples)

Video: Count days between dates

Calculate days between two dates

Supposing you have the "Start date" in cell "C2" and the "End date" in cell "C3", you want to find out the number of days between the two dates. In this section, we will show you "four ways" to achieve your goal.

Using subtraction

To count days between two dates, simply "subtract the start date from the end date". Here is the generic formula:

Step 1: Input the subtraction formula

In cell C6, apply the following formula, then press the "Enter" button.

=C3-C2

Result

As you can see, there are "180" days between the two given dates.

Using Kutools to count days, weeks, months, and years between dates

With the "Date & Time Helper" feature of "Kutools for Excel", you can also calculate days between dates. What’s more, this feature is more powerful because it offers "more options", like calculating "weeks", "months", "years", and so on between two dates. The screenshot below shows how to "count days between dates step by step", and the "more options" you can also calculate.

After enabling the feature by clicking" Kutools" > "Formula Helper" > "Date & Time Helper", please do as follows:

1. Choose "Difference" in the "Type" section;
2. Select the start and end dates separately in "Date1" and "Date2" textbox;
3. Choose "day" from the "Output result type" drop-down list ;
4. Click "OK".

Using DAYS function

Another way to get the number of days between two dates is by using the DAYS function, introduced in Excel 2013. The generic formula is shown below:

Step 1: Input the DAYS formula

In cell "C6", apply the following formula, then press the "Enter" button.

=DAYS(C3,C2)

Result

"180" days are between the two dates in cells C3 and C2.

Using DATEDIF function

The fourth method of counting numbers of days between two dates is using the DATEDIF function. Here is the "generic formula" for calculating day difference between two dates:

Step 1: Input the DATEDIF formula

In cell "C6", apply the following formula, then press the "Enter" button.

=DATEDIF(C2,C3,"d")

Result

"180" days are between the two given dates.

Count days between today and a date

If you want to calculate the number of days between today and a specific date, Excel’s built-in "TODAY" function can help you get the job done easily and quickly. Here are the "two generic formulas" to count days between today and another date with "TODAY" function:

To calculate the number of days between "a past date" and "today":

To calculate the number of days between "a future date" and "today":

In this case, you have a "future date" in cell "C2", and today is 3/15/2023. You need to calculate the number of days between today and this date, please do as follows.

Step 1: Input the formula

In cell "C5", apply the following formula, then press the" Enter" button.

=C2-TODAY()

Step 2: Format result as general

Select the result cell, click the "Home" tab, go to the "Numbe"r group, then select "General" from the "Number Format" drop-down list.

Note: Or on the "Home" tab, click the "Dialog Box Launcher" next to Number. Then click" General" in the "Category" box.

Result

As you can see, there are "108" days between today and the given date.

Note: The "TODAY" function will give the current date exactly. So, when a specific date is fixed, you will find that the number of days returned in the worksheet varies because the "TODAY" function changes from day to day.

Count working days between two dates

From time to time, we may need to calculate the number of days without the weekends. Here we will show you how to count working days between two dates with the help of "NETWORKDAYS"  function in two situations. One situation is counting workdays without additional holidays provided. The other situation is counting workdays with additional holidays provided.

Here is the generic formula of NETWORKDAYS function:

Excluding weekends

For example, you have the Start date in cell C2 and the End date in cell C3, you want to find out the number of working days between the two dates regardless of the holidays.

Step 1: Input the NETWORKDAYS formula

In cell C6, apply the following formula, then press the "Enter" button.

=NETWORKDAYS(C2,C3)

Result

You can see there are "130" working days between the two dates, not considering holidays.

Excluding weekends and holidays

Unlike the example above, you also have the additional holidays listed in the data range C5:C8, and you need to calculate the number of working days between the two dates with the holidays provided.

Step 1: Input the NETWORKDAYS formula

In cell C6, apply the following formula, then press the "Enter" button.

=NETWORKDAYS(C2,C3, E3:E7)

Result

You can see there are "125" working days between the two dates, considering the holidays provided.

Note: In most of the world, the weekend is "Saturday" and "Sunday". Then the "NETWORKDAYS" function is the exact function you need. But if your weekend is not Saturday and Sunday (like Sunday only), you should use the "NETWORKDAYS.INTL" function, which allows you to specify which days of the week should be considered weekends.

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