Cost of Meeting Calculator - Calculate Meeting Expenses with Live Ticker
Advanced calculator with individual attendee tracking, real-time cost ticker, recurring meeting analysis, prep/follow-up time tracking, multi-currency support, and smart optimization insights.
Quick Presets
Meeting Details
Live Cost Ticker
Results
Cost Breakdown
Insights
What is a Cost of Meeting Calculator?
A Cost of Meeting Calculator is a free productivity tool that helps you calculate the total expense of a meeting based on attendee salaries and meeting duration. It determines the financial impact of time spent in meetings, including wages, preparation time, follow-up time, and additional overhead costs.
Advanced Features:
- Individual attendee tracking - Add multiple attendees with different hourly rates
- Real-time cost ticker - Watch costs accumulate live during your meeting
- Recurring meeting analysis - Calculate annual costs for regular meetings
- Multi-currency support - Calculate costs in USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, INR, AUD, CAD
- Smart insights - Get AI-powered recommendations to optimize meeting costs
- Visual breakdowns - See cost distribution across meeting, prep, and follow-up time
Perfect for:
- Business meetings - Team meetings, strategy sessions, project reviews
- Training sessions - Workshops, seminars, onboarding programs
- Client meetings - Presentations, negotiations, consultations
- Virtual meetings - Video conferences, webinars, online collaboration
- Recurring meetings - Weekly standups, monthly reviews, quarterly planning
Related Tools:
Calculate the value of time for meeting attendees with our Time Saved/Wasted Calculator.
Evaluate if a meeting is worth the investment with our Is It Worth It? Calculator.
Track attendee experience levels with our Work Experience Calculator.
How Cost of Meeting Calculator Works
The enhanced calculation uses the comprehensive formula:
Key components:
- Individual Attendees = Each person's specific hourly rate (supports different wage levels)
- Meeting Duration = Actual meeting time in minutes or hours
- Preparation Time = Time spent preparing for the meeting (per attendee)
- Follow-up Time = Time spent on post-meeting tasks (per attendee)
- Overhead = Additional costs (facilities, technology, materials, travel)
- Recurring Analysis = Multiply by frequency to get annual costs
Key Concepts Explained
Meeting ROI
The return on investment from a meeting, calculated by comparing outcomes achieved to the cost of conducting the meeting.
Opportunity Cost
The value of work not done during the meeting, representing what attendees could have accomplished with their time otherwise.
Meeting Efficiency
A measure of how effectively meeting time is used to achieve objectives, often expressed as outcomes per unit of time and cost.
Time Valuation
The process of assigning monetary value to time based on earning potential or opportunity cost.
How to Use This Calculator
Choose a Preset or Start Custom
Select from Daily Standup, Planning, Review, or Executive meeting presets, or customize from scratch
Add Attendees with Individual Wages
Click "+ Add Attendee" to include each participant with their specific hourly rate. Remove attendees as needed.
Set Duration and Time Units
Enter meeting length in minutes or hours, plus optional prep and follow-up time
Add Overhead & Enable Recurring
Include additional costs and check "Recurring Meeting" to calculate weekly, monthly, or annual expenses
View Results & Use Live Ticker
See instant cost breakdown, insights, and visual charts. Start the live ticker to track costs in real-time during your meeting.
Benefits of Using This Calculator
- • Accurate Cost Tracking: Track individual attendee costs precisely instead of using averages, revealing true meeting expenses.
- • Real-Time Awareness: Use the live ticker during meetings to make participants aware of accumulating costs.
- • Recurring Cost Analysis: Understand the annual financial impact of regular meetings to justify their value.
- • Smart Insights: Get actionable recommendations to optimize meeting efficiency and reduce unnecessary costs.
- • Global Compatibility: Support for multiple currencies makes it useful for international teams and businesses.
- • Complete Picture: Include preparation and follow-up time to see the full cost of meetings, not just the meeting itself.
Factors That Affect Your Results
1. Attendee Seniority
Higher-level employees typically have higher hourly wages, significantly increasing meeting costs. Consider the value each attendee brings relative to their cost.
2. Meeting Duration
Longer meetings proportionally increase costs. Every additional minute adds to the expense, making time management crucial for cost control.
3. Meeting Frequency
Recurring meetings compound costs over time. Regular standups or reviews can become significant expenses if not carefully managed.
4. Preparation and Follow-up
The calculator focuses on meeting time but doesn't account for preparation or follow-up work, which can significantly increase total meeting costs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: How do you calculate the cost of a meeting?
A: To calculate the cost of a meeting, add up the hourly wages of all attendees and multiply by the meeting duration. Our calculator supports individual attendee wages, preparation time, follow-up time, and overhead costs. For example, if 3 attendees earning $50, $75, and $100/hour attend a 60-minute meeting with 15 minutes prep time each, the total cost is (($50+$75+$100) / 60 minutes) × (60 + 15) minutes = $281.25.
Q: What factors should be included in meeting costs?
A: Meeting costs should include: 1) Individual attendee wages (not averages), 2) Actual meeting duration, 3) Preparation time per attendee, 4) Follow-up time for action items, 5) Overhead costs (facilities, technology, materials), and 6) For recurring meetings, multiply by annual frequency to understand long-term costs.
Q: How can I reduce the cost of meetings?
A: To reduce meeting costs: 1) Use our live ticker to increase cost awareness, 2) Only invite essential attendees, 3) Set clear agendas and time limits, 4) Review insights and recommendations from the calculator, 5) Analyze recurring meeting costs annually, 6) Consider if higher-paid attendees are necessary for the entire duration, and 7) Use asynchronous communication when possible.
Q: Why is it important to calculate meeting costs?
A: Calculating meeting costs helps organizations understand the true expense of their time investments, including hidden costs like preparation and follow-up. It enables data-driven decisions about meeting frequency, provides visibility into recurring meeting expenses, and helps justify the ROI of meetings. Real-time cost tracking also increases participant awareness and encourages efficiency.