Act on the result
Confirm the crossover, available hire capacity and overtime contribution before choosing how to cover demand.
Educational only: Business decision support, not accounting, tax or legal advice.
Privacy: No account is required. Tool inputs and results stay in this browser. Anonymous categorical usage analytics send only governed page, tool, cluster and action identifiers; tool inputs and results are never sent. Error monitoring is disabled. Optional saved state stays only on this device.
Update policy: Reviewed when formulas or official dependencies change.
Scope: Market-neutral small-business planning using your own assumptions.
What this comparison calculator helps you decide
Best for
Owners comparing overtime with a fixed-plus-variable hire scenario at a known demand level.
Outputs
Overtime and nullable hire cost, lower-cost state, crossover hours and an exact overtime-cost contribution module.
Start here
Enter additional demand and both cost structures, then use the embedded module to inspect your overtime pay terms and contribution.
Use a different tool when: Do not use this to test a hire against billable contribution; use Hiring Break-even Planner for that decision. Use this tool to compare overtime and hire cost at an entered demand level, including capacity and exact overtime-cost contribution.
Profit & break-even
Overtime vs Hire: overtime and nullable hire cost
Overtime and nullable hire cost, lower-cost state, crossover hours and an exact overtime-cost contribution module.
Amounts use the same currency as your inputs. No currency conversion is performed.
Staffing decision assumptions
Use your own records on one consistent period, capacity, currency and tax basis.
Your numbers stay in this browser
Additional productive demand to cover.
Fully loaded overtime cost used in the main comparison. Use one consistent currency and indirect-tax basis.
One-off or period-fixed cost applied to every whole hire required. Use one consistent currency and indirect-tax basis.
Loaded productive-hour cost applied to every available hour of each whole hire. Use one consistent currency and indirect-tax basis.
Overtime-cost module assumptionsOpen the assumptions you are less likely to change on every comparison.
Productive capacity available from each whole hire in the decision period.
Decision result
Results come from the registered exact staffing engines. A component table is used because it is clearer than a chart for this decision.
- Overtime scenario cost
- 45,000.00
- Hire scenario cost
- 70,000.00
- Whole hires required
- 1
- Lower-cost state
- Overtime
- Crossover hours
- 778 hours
| Option | Available hours | Cost | Decision state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overtime | 500 | 45,000 | Lower cost |
| Hire | 1,000 | 70,000 | overtime |
| Crossover | 778 | — | Raw whole-hour threshold |
Overtime cost and contribution module
Edit this six-field module independently. It has no standalone route or public tool identity.
- Module regular labour cost
- 2,000.00
- Module overtime labour cost
- 750.00
- Module total labour cost
- 2,750.00
- Module overtime contribution
- 250.00
- Module break-even contribution per overtime hour
- 75.00
Calculation details
View calculation detailsView the formulas and inputs used for these results.
Module regular labour cost
Module regular labour cost
regular hours × base hourly rate × (1 + on-cost rate)2,000.00Result2,000.00
Uses only the six editable assumptions in this embedded module. The exact engine retains raw precision; display rounding does not feed calculation.
Overtime cost module formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Module regular labour costModule Regular Hours
- 40
- Module regular labour costModule Overtime Hours
- 10
- Module regular labour costModule Base Hourly Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Module regular labour costModule Overtime Multiplier
- 1.5
- Module regular labour costModule Employer On Cost Rate
- 0.25
- Module regular labour costModule Contribution Per Delivered Hour Ex Tax
- 100
Module overtime labour cost
Module overtime labour cost
overtime hours × base rate × multiplier × (1 + on-cost rate)750.00Result750.00
Uses only the six editable assumptions in this embedded module. The exact engine retains raw precision; display rounding does not feed calculation.
Overtime cost module formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Module overtime labour costModule Regular Hours
- 40
- Module overtime labour costModule Overtime Hours
- 10
- Module overtime labour costModule Base Hourly Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Module overtime labour costModule Overtime Multiplier
- 1.5
- Module overtime labour costModule Employer On Cost Rate
- 0.25
- Module overtime labour costModule Contribution Per Delivered Hour Ex Tax
- 100
Module total labour cost
Module total labour cost
regular labour cost + overtime labour cost2,750.00Result2,750.00
Uses only the six editable assumptions in this embedded module. The exact engine retains raw precision; display rounding does not feed calculation.
Overtime cost module formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Module total labour costModule Regular Hours
- 40
- Module total labour costModule Overtime Hours
- 10
- Module total labour costModule Base Hourly Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Module total labour costModule Overtime Multiplier
- 1.5
- Module total labour costModule Employer On Cost Rate
- 0.25
- Module total labour costModule Contribution Per Delivered Hour Ex Tax
- 100
Module overtime contribution
Module overtime contribution
overtime hours × contribution per hour − overtime labour cost250.00Result250.00
Uses only the six editable assumptions in this embedded module. The exact engine retains raw precision; display rounding does not feed calculation.
Overtime cost module formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Module overtime contributionModule Regular Hours
- 40
- Module overtime contributionModule Overtime Hours
- 10
- Module overtime contributionModule Base Hourly Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Module overtime contributionModule Overtime Multiplier
- 1.5
- Module overtime contributionModule Employer On Cost Rate
- 0.25
- Module overtime contributionModule Contribution Per Delivered Hour Ex Tax
- 100
Module break-even contribution per overtime hour
Module break-even contribution per overtime hour
base hourly rate × multiplier × (1 + on-cost rate)75.00Result75.00
Uses only the six editable assumptions in this embedded module. The exact engine retains raw precision; display rounding does not feed calculation.
Overtime cost module formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Module break-even contribution per overtime hourModule Regular Hours
- 40
- Module break-even contribution per overtime hourModule Overtime Hours
- 10
- Module break-even contribution per overtime hourModule Base Hourly Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Module break-even contribution per overtime hourModule Overtime Multiplier
- 1.5
- Module break-even contribution per overtime hourModule Employer On Cost Rate
- 0.25
- Module break-even contribution per overtime hourModule Contribution Per Delivered Hour Ex Tax
- 100
Inputs used
- Regular hours
- 40
- Overtime hours
- 10
- Base hourly rate
- 40
- Overtime multiplier
- 1.5
- Employer on-cost rate
- 0.25
- Contribution per delivered hour
- 100
Scenario comparison
Each row names the assumption axis changed from the baseline.
ScenarioResultDifference
Entered scenario45,000.00Baseline
Lower Required additional hours40,500.00-4,500.00
Higher Required additional hours49,500.004,500.00
Save these results, change an input, then compare the updated figures with this baseline.
The baseline is temporary in this tab and is not added to shared scenario links or generated reports.
Calculation details
View calculation detailsView the formulas and inputs used for these results.
Overtime scenario cost
Overtime scenario cost
required additional hours × overtime cost per hour45,000.00Result45,000.00
Uses user-entered staffing records and assumptions on one consistent period, capacity and currency basis. The exact engine retains raw precision; bounded display formatting does not feed calculation.
Overtime vs Hire Comparison formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Overtime scenario costRequired Additional Hours
- 500
- Overtime scenario costOvertime Cost Per Hour Ex Tax
- 90
- Overtime scenario costHire Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 10,000
- Overtime scenario costHire Cost Per Productive Hour Ex Tax
- 60
- Overtime scenario costHire Available Productive Hours
- 1,000
Hire scenario cost
Hire scenario cost
whole hires required × (fixed cost per hire + available productive hours per hire × hire cost per productive hour)70,000.00Result70,000.00
Uses user-entered staffing records and assumptions on one consistent period, capacity and currency basis. The exact engine retains raw precision; bounded display formatting does not feed calculation.
Overtime vs Hire Comparison formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Hire scenario costRequired Additional Hours
- 500
- Hire scenario costOvertime Cost Per Hour Ex Tax
- 90
- Hire scenario costHire Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 10,000
- Hire scenario costHire Cost Per Productive Hour Ex Tax
- 60
- Hire scenario costHire Available Productive Hours
- 1,000
Whole hires required
Whole hires required
ceil(required additional hours ÷ hire available productive hours)1 unitsResult1
Uses user-entered staffing records and assumptions on one consistent period, capacity and currency basis. The exact engine retains raw precision; bounded display formatting does not feed calculation.
Overtime vs Hire Comparison formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Whole hires requiredRequired Additional Hours
- 500
- Whole hires requiredOvertime Cost Per Hour Ex Tax
- 90
- Whole hires requiredHire Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 10,000
- Whole hires requiredHire Cost Per Productive Hour Ex Tax
- 60
- Whole hires requiredHire Available Productive Hours
- 1,000
Lower-cost state
Lower-cost state
compare raw scenario costsovertimeResultOvertime
Uses user-entered staffing records and assumptions on one consistent period, capacity and currency basis. The exact engine retains raw precision; bounded display formatting does not feed calculation.
Overtime vs Hire Comparison formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Lower-cost stateRequired Additional Hours
- 500
- Lower-cost stateOvertime Cost Per Hour Ex Tax
- 90
- Lower-cost stateHire Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 10,000
- Lower-cost stateHire Cost Per Productive Hour Ex Tax
- 60
- Lower-cost stateHire Available Productive Hours
- 1,000
Crossover hours
Crossover hours
ceil(whole-hire cash cost ÷ overtime hourly cost), when reachable within one hire capacity778 hoursResult778 hours
Uses user-entered staffing records and assumptions on one consistent period, capacity and currency basis. The exact engine retains raw precision; bounded display formatting does not feed calculation.
Overtime vs Hire Comparison formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Crossover hoursRequired Additional Hours
- 500
- Crossover hoursOvertime Cost Per Hour Ex Tax
- 90
- Crossover hoursHire Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 10,000
- Crossover hoursHire Cost Per Productive Hour Ex Tax
- 60
- Crossover hoursHire Available Productive Hours
- 1,000
Inputs used
- Required additional hours
- 500
- Overtime cost per hour
- 90
- Fixed cost per hire
- 10,000
- Hire cost per productive hour
- 60
- Hire available productive hours
- 1,000
Open this calculator with preset values
This calculator supports documented, shareable scenario URLs. Compatible assistants and applications can construct links using the parameters below.
Scenario links contain only allowlisted numeric and closed-choice inputs shown in the URL; Margin101 excludes free text and identifying fields. Anyone you share the URL with can read those numbers, so do not include private or identifying data.
| Parameter | Meaning | Unit | Allowed values | Presence | Default |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hireAvailableProductiveHours | Productive capacity available from each whole hire in the decision period. | productive hours/hire/decision period | 0 to 100000000 | Required | 1000 |
| hireCostPerProductiveHourExTax | Loaded productive-hour cost applied to every available hour of each whole hire. Use one consistent currency and indirect-tax basis. | currency units/productive hour, ex tax | 0 to 10000000 | Required | 60 |
| hireFixedCostExTax | One-off or period-fixed cost applied to every whole hire required. Use one consistent currency and indirect-tax basis. | currency units/hire, ex tax | 0 to 10000000 | Required | 10000 |
| overtimeCostPerHourExTax | Fully loaded overtime cost used in the main comparison. Use one consistent currency and indirect-tax basis. | currency units/overtime hour, ex tax | 0 to 10000000 | Required | 90 |
| requiredAdditionalHours | Additional productive demand to cover. | productive hours/decision period | 0 to 100000000 | Required | 500 |
Overtime vs Hire: overtime and nullable hire cost
Use the lower-cost state only when the hire scenario has enough productive capacity and the pay assumptions are confirmed.
Formula summary
- Primary formula
- overtime cost = required hours × overtime cost per hour; hire cost = ceil(required hours ÷ productive hours per hire) × (fixed cost per hire + productive hours per hire × hire cost per productive hour)
Data used here
- The estimate uses your inputs and the general business formula documented in the methodology.
Decision checks
Stress-test the decision
Retest higher hire fixed cost, lower available capacity and a higher user-entered overtime on-cost rate.
When this estimate can be misleading
- The comparison covers cost and capacity only; it does not recommend a hiring decision or employment arrangement.
- The embedded overtime module uses user-entered multipliers and on-costs and does not assess legal compliance.
- Use one consistent period, capacity, currency and indirect-tax basis.
- This is educational decision support, not accounting, payroll, employment, tax or legal advice.
- Use the lower-cost state only when the hire scenario has enough productive capacity and the pay assumptions are confirmed.
Educational estimate, not advice. See all assumptions & limitations →
Related reading
Guides to interpret the decision and its assumptions.
- How to Model a Labour Budget Before Hiring
Build a period labour-cost envelope, test timing and capacity scenarios, and identify decision boundaries before hiring.
Read guide
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare overtime and hire cost at an entered demand level, including capacity and exact overtime-cost contribution?
Confirm the crossover, available hire capacity and overtime contribution before choosing how to cover demand.
What should stay consistent when I compare the options?
Keep the time basis, units and included costs consistent across options, then verify the assumptions that create the largest difference.