Meeting Cost Calculator
See the real cost of meetings. Enter attendees, hourly rate, and duration to calculate total cost. Use the live timer during actual meetings.
Quick Answer
Meeting cost is calculated as: number of attendees multiplied by average hourly cost multiplied by meeting duration in hours. For example, a 1-hour meeting with 8 people at $75/hour costs $600. Research by Harvard Business Review found that a single weekly executive meeting can cost an organization over $15 million per year when accounting for preparation and downstream meetings.
Quick Presets
Select a common meeting type or customize below.
If this meeting recurs...
Live Meeting Timer
Start the timer during an actual meeting to see the cost accumulate in real-time.
About This Tool
The Meeting Cost Calculator reveals the true financial cost of meetings by multiplying the number of attendees by their hourly rate and the meeting duration. It is a simple but powerful exercise that makes the invisible cost of meetings visible and actionable.
Meetings are one of the largest hidden costs in any organization. A one-hour meeting with ten people at $75 per hour costs $750 — the equivalent of a freelancer's full day of work. When that meeting recurs weekly, it becomes $39,000 per year. Many organizations run dozens of these meetings without ever considering the aggregate cost.
The Meeting Overload Problem
Research from Harvard Business Review found that executives spend an average of 23 hours per week in meetings, up from fewer than 10 hours in the 1960s. Atlassian's research found that the average employee attends 62 meetings per month, and considers roughly half of that time wasted. The problem is not that meetings are inherently bad — it is that most organizations default to meetings when asynchronous communication would be equally effective.
Using the Live Timer
The live timer feature lets you run the calculator during an actual meeting. As the seconds tick by, the cost counter rises in real-time, creating a visceral awareness of what the meeting is costing. Teams that display meeting costs report shorter, more focused meetings with clearer agendas and outcomes. It is a lightweight nudge that encourages meeting discipline without heavy-handed policy changes.
Tips for Reducing Meeting Costs
Start by auditing your recurring meetings. Cancel any that lack a clear purpose or could be replaced by a written update. Shorten default durations from 60 minutes to 25 or from 30 to 15. Trim invite lists to essential participants only. For the meetings that remain, require an agenda in advance and end with clear action items and owners.