Meeting Cost Calculator
Calculate how much your meetings actually cost based on attendee salaries. See the true cost of that recurring meeting.
A 1-hour meeting with 8 people earning an average of $100,000/year costs approximately $400. A weekly recurring meeting like this costs over $20,000/year. This calculator helps you see the true cost of meetings so you can make better decisions about when to meet synchronously vs. use async communication.
Cost Breakdown
What else could this buy?
Consider Async
If this meeting is for status updates, consider replacing it with async standup tools like Slack, Loom, or Notion. You could save thousands while giving people back focused work time.
When to Meet vs. Go Async
✓ Worth a Meeting
- • Brainstorming and creative sessions
- • Complex problem-solving requiring real-time discussion
- • Sensitive conversations (feedback, conflicts)
- • Team bonding and relationship building
- • Critical decisions requiring immediate input
✗ Better Async
- • Status updates (use written standups)
- • Information sharing (use docs or video)
- • Simple decisions (use polls or threads)
- • Recurring check-ins with no real agenda
- • Meetings that could be an email
Frequently Asked Questions
How is meeting cost calculated?
We calculate hourly rates by dividing annual salary by 2,080 (40 hours × 52 weeks). The meeting cost is the sum of each attendee's hourly rate multiplied by the meeting duration. This doesn't include benefits overhead, which would add another 20-40%.
Isn't meeting cost part of doing business?
Yes, many meetings are valuable and worth the cost. The point isn't to eliminate meetings, but to be intentional about them. Understanding the cost helps you decide if a meeting is the best use of everyone's time, or if async communication would work better.
How can I reduce unnecessary meetings?
Start with a purpose statement - if you can't articulate why a meeting is needed, it probably isn't. Consider async alternatives like Loom videos, shared docs, or Slack threads. Make recurring meetings require re-justification periodically. Keep invite lists small.
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