Who this helps
- Project planners
- Freelancers preparing effort estimates
Finance Utility
Man-Day Calculator
Separate effort, staffing and price so the assumptions behind an estimate remain visible. A person-day is the number of working hours you choose, not a promised calendar day.
Task-based estimateSplit work into planning, design, development, QA and other roles so the estimate is easier to review and adjust.
Separate buffersAdd communication, revision and QA buffers separately instead of hiding every project risk inside one unexplained number.
Cost includedApply role-based day rates to prepare a first cost estimate for internal approval, client discussion or quotation review.
Step 01
Ready
Work Rules and Buffers
Set working hours per MD, current team size and target duration, then choose a buffer preset that matches the project risk level.
Live Result
Waiting
Estimate Summary
Raw task hours0
Difficulty-adjusted hours0
Final buffered hours0
Final MD0
Days with current team0
Suggested team for target-
Estimated total cost0
Step 02
Rates ready
Role Day Rates
Default values use USD day rates for small freelance or agency planning. Adjust them to your market, seniority level and contract structure.
$/MD
$/MD
$/MD
$/MD
$/MD
Step 03
0
Task Items
Add tasks with role, estimated hours and difficulty. You can click a task card later to edit the estimate as scope becomes clearer.
No tasks yet. Add a task or load the sample to begin.
Detail
No rows yet
Task Breakdown
Review adjusted hours, MD and cost for each task so assumptions are visible instead of buried in the final total.
| Task | Role | Input hours | Difficulty | Adjusted hours | MD | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task breakdown appears after adding tasks. | ||||||
Build a person-day estimate from tasks, rates and buffers
Separate effort, staffing and price so the assumptions behind an estimate remain visible. A person-day is the number of working hours you choose, not a promised calendar day.
When to use this tool
- Explain an estimate from a task list.
- Compare staffing and buffer assumptions.
From input to a checked result
- 1
Enter working hours per day and team size.
- 2
Set the daily rate for each role.
- 3
Add named tasks, base hours and difficulty factors.
- 4
Set communication, revision and QA buffers.
- 5
Review effort, cost and theoretical team days before planning dependencies.
Effort with a buffer
- Input
- 40 hours; difficulty 1.2; 8 hours/day; buffers total 25%
- Result
- 48 adjusted hours; 60 final hours; 7.5 person-days.
The three buffer percentages are added, then applied once.
Staffing for a target
- Input
- 24 final person-days; target 10 days
- Result
- Theoretical recommendation: 3 people.
Rounding up 24/10 does not prove that all work can run in parallel.
How it works
Sum task hours × difficulty. Multiply by 1 + total buffer rate, then divide by hours per day. Divide final person-days by team size for theoretical duration. Costs use each task's role rate and the same buffer.
Limitations
- No holidays, dependencies, availability or onboarding are scheduled.
- Defaults are examples, not market rates.
- Costs exclude tax, equipment, licenses and infrastructure.
- Language-specific currency labels do not convert entered rates.
Your data
Task names, rates and results remain in this page. Copy the estimate before leaving, and remove confidential project information before sharing.
References
Related tools
- D-Day Calculator
Calculate days until or since an event with D- and D+ results. Save dates, share a countdown and compare weeks and completed months with worked examples.
- Date Difference Calculator
Count days, weeks and completed months between two dates. Include the end date, exclude weekends and check examples, holiday limits and share settings.
Frequently asked questions
Is one person-day always eight hours?
No. Change hours per day to your estimation convention.
Are the three buffers compounded?
No. Their percentages are added before one multiplier is applied.
Does the recommended team size guarantee the deadline?
No. It is a capacity estimate without dependency scheduling.