Cron syntax is famously confusing. Pick your schedule visually below and get the exact expression, a plain-English explanation, and the next run times.

Free Cron Expression Generator — Build and Explain Cron Jobs Online

Cron Expression Generator — Build Cron Schedules Visually

Stop guessing cron syntax. Pick your schedule with visual field editors, get a plain-English explanation, and preview exactly when it will run — free, private, no signup.

Build your schedule

Start from a preset or fill in the five fields. Use * for every, ranges like 1-5, lists like 1,15,30, or steps like */15. Names work too (mon-fri, jan-dec).

0-59
0-23
1-31
1-12 or jan-dec
0-6 or sun-sat
0 9 * * *
Plain EnglishAt 9:00 AM

Next 5 runs (your local time)

    Decode an existing expression

    Paste any 5-field cron expression to load it into the builder and see what it means.

    Note: this tool uses the standard 5-field cron format (minute hour day-of-month month day-of-week). Some systems add a 6th seconds field — remove it before pasting.

    100% private

    All parsing and run-time math happens in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or logged.

    No signup

    Build and decode as many expressions as you need. No account, no limits.

    Free forever

    No paywalls, no premium tiers. The full tool is free for everyone.

    How to use the cron generator

    1. 1Pick a preset or edit fields

      Click a preset to start, then tweak any of the five fields with values, ranges, lists, or steps.

    2. 2Read the plain-English version

      The tool translates your expression into a sentence and flags any invalid field instantly.

    3. 3Check the next runs

      Preview the next five execution times in your local time, then copy the expression into your crontab.

    Why developers use this cron builder

    Visual field editors

    Each of the five cron fields gets its own editor with allowed ranges and one-click value chips — no more counting columns.

    Plain-English explanations

    Every expression is translated into a sentence like “At 9:00 AM, Monday through Friday” so you can verify intent at a glance.

    Next-run preview

    See the next five actual run times computed in your local timezone before you deploy the schedule.

    Instant validation

    Out-of-range values, bad steps, and unknown names are flagged per field as you type, with clear messages.

    Reverse decoder

    Paste a mysterious expression from an old server and get it decoded into the builder plus a human-readable explanation.

    Real cron semantics

    Matches standard Vixie cron behavior, including the day-of-month / day-of-week OR rule and Sunday as 0 or 7.

    Frequently asked questions

    What is a cron expression?
    A cron expression is a five-part schedule string (minute, hour, day of month, month, day of week) used by Unix cron and many job schedulers. For example, “0 9 * * 1-5” means 9:00 AM, Monday through Friday.
    What do the five fields mean?
    In order: minute (0-59), hour (0-23), day of month (1-31), month (1-12), day of week (0-6, where 0 is Sunday). An asterisk (*) means “every” for that field.
    What does */15 mean?
    A step value. “*/15” in the minute field means every 15 minutes (at :00, :15, :30, :45). You can also write ranges with steps, like “9-17/2” for every two hours between 9 AM and 5 PM.
    Can I use month and weekday names?
    Yes. Three-letter names like jan, feb, mon, tue (case-insensitive) are accepted in the month and day-of-week fields, including in ranges like “mon-fri”.
    What happens when both day of month and day of week are set?
    Standard cron runs when EITHER matches. So “0 0 13 * 5” runs on the 13th of the month AND on every Friday. This tool follows that rule in its next-run preview.
    Is 0 or 7 the correct value for Sunday?
    Both work. This tool accepts 7 and treats it as Sunday (0), matching standard cron implementations.
    Does this support seconds (6-field cron)?
    No. This tool uses the standard 5-field format. If your expression has six fields, drop the seconds field before pasting it here.

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