Focus & productivity
Meeting cost calculator
Enter how many people attend, their average hourly cost and the length to see what the meeting costs.
Multiply attendees by their hourly cost by the length. A weekly hour-long meeting of six people can cost tens of thousands a year.
Why meeting cost matters
Meetings feel free, but every attendee is paid for that hour. Putting a number on it helps you decide whether a meeting is worth it or whether a written update would be better.
| Lever | Effect on cost |
|---|---|
| Fewer attendees | Invite only decision-makers |
| Shorter meeting | Default to 25 or 50 minutes, not 30 or 60 |
| Async instead | Replace status meetings with a written update |
How to cut the bill
Share an agenda in advance, invite fewer people, end early when the goal is met, and move recurring status meetings to a shared document.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate the cost of a meeting?
Multiply the number of attendees by their average hourly cost, then by the meeting length in hours. Six people at $50/hour for one hour costs about $300.
Are recurring meetings expensive?
Very. A weekly one-hour meeting with six people at $50/hour costs roughly $15,000 a year, which is why cutting or shortening recurring meetings saves the most.
How can I reduce meeting costs?
Invite fewer people, shorten the default length, require an agenda, and replace status updates with asynchronous written notes.