Meeting Cost Calculator
This meeting cost calculator shows how much your meetings really cost based on attendees, salaries, and duration. Great for cutting waste.
About Meeting Cost Calculator
Meetings are one of the biggest hidden costs in any organisation. This meeting cost calculator puts a real number on that cost so you can make better decisions about when to meet, who to invite, and how long to keep it going.
How It Works
Enter the number of attendees, their average salary or hourly rate, and the meeting duration. The calculator instantly shows the total cost of the meeting, the cost per minute, and the cost per attendee. Use the preset durations or drag the slider to see how cost changes in real time.
Recurring Meeting Costs
Toggle the recurrence to weekly, biweekly, or monthly to see the annual impact. A one-hour weekly meeting with 8 people earning average salaries can easily cost over $100,000 per year. The annual view also shows total person-hours and full work days lost to that recurring commitment. For a fuller picture of what each person's time actually costs the business, pair this with the employee cost calculator.
Practical Insights
The comparison table lets you see costs across multiple durations at a glance. The "put it in perspective" section shows exactly how much you would save by cutting 15 minutes, removing an attendee, or changing frequency. These are the kind of numbers that make it easy to justify trimming your calendar.
Built for Sharing
The bold cost display is designed to make an impact when shared in Slack or a presentation. Sometimes all it takes is showing your team what a meeting actually costs to start having better, shorter ones. If you are also evaluating team salaries, the salary calculator can help with quick conversions between annual and hourly rates. All calculations run locally in your browser with no data sent anywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the meeting cost calculated?
The calculator takes each attendee's hourly cost (either from an annual salary divided by 2,080 working hours, or a direct hourly rate), multiplies it by the meeting duration in hours, then multiplies by the number of attendees. The result is the total cost of everyone's time in that meeting.
Should I use annual salary or hourly rate?
Annual salary is easier when all attendees earn roughly the same amount. The calculator converts it to an hourly rate using 2,080 working hours per year (40 hours times 52 weeks). If your attendees have very different pay levels, use the average or calculate separate meetings.
Does this include employer costs like taxes and benefits?
By default it calculates based on salary alone. The true cost of an employee's time is typically 25-45% higher when you factor in employer taxes, benefits, and overhead. For a detailed breakdown of those additional costs, use the employee cost calculator alongside this tool.
How accurate is the annual recurring cost?
The annual figure multiplies the single meeting cost by the number of occurrences in a year - 52 for weekly, 26 for biweekly, and 12 for monthly. It assumes consistent attendance and duration. Real costs may vary due to holidays, absences, and schedule changes.
What is a good benchmark for meeting costs?
There is no universal benchmark since it depends on your industry and team size. However, if a recurring meeting costs more per year than the value it delivers in decisions and alignment, it is worth restructuring. Cutting duration by 15 minutes or removing one unnecessary attendee can save thousands annually.