Free Tools /Scheduling
Cron Expression Builder & Explainer
Paste a cron expression to see exactly what it means, or build one field by field and copy the result straight into your n8n Schedule Trigger.
Next 5 run times, from now
How this tool works
Two-way translation
Type a cron expression to get a plain-English explanation, or use the builder tab to pick your schedule visually and generate the expression.
Standard 5-field cron
Supports the format every scheduler uses: minute, hour, day-of-month, month, day-of-week, including wildcards (*), steps (*/5), ranges (1-5), and lists (1,15,30).
Runs entirely in your browser
Nothing you type is sent anywhere. The parser and the explanation are computed client-side in JavaScript.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cron expression?
A cron expression is a 5-field string that defines a recurring schedule: minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week. It originated in Unix cron and is now the standard scheduling format in n8n, GitHub Actions, Kubernetes CronJobs, and most automation platforms.
What does an asterisk (*) mean in cron?
An asterisk means "every value" for that field. "* * * * *" means every minute of every hour of every day. Replacing a field with a specific number restricts it to that value only.
What is the difference between */5 and 0,5,10,15... in the minute field?
They produce the same result for a range starting at 0, but */5 is shorthand for "every 5th value starting from the field minimum" and is easier to read and maintain than spelling out every value in a list.
Does cron use 24-hour time?
Yes. The hour field is always 0-23, so 2pm is written as 14, not 2. This is one of the most common cron mistakes.
Can I combine day-of-month and day-of-week?
Most cron implementations treat day-of-month and day-of-week as OR when both are restricted (not wildcards), which produces confusing results. If you need "the 1st of the month AND a Monday," most platforms cannot express that in a single cron field and need two separate triggers instead.
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