What is a time zone overlap?

A time zone overlap is the period of shared working hours between people in different time zones. For example, if one person works 9 AM–5 PM EST and another works 9 AM–5 PM GMT, their overlap is 9 AM–12 PM EST (2 PM–5 PM GMT).

How many overlapping hours do remote teams need?

Most remote work experts recommend at least 3–4 hours of overlap for effective synchronous collaboration. Teams with fewer overlapping hours should rely more on asynchronous communication tools.

Does this tool account for Daylight Saving Time?

Yes. This tool uses the IANA time zone database built into modern browsers, which automatically accounts for Daylight Saving Time changes based on the current date.

Is this tool free to use?

Yes, the Time Zone Overlap Finder is completely free. No account or login required. It runs entirely in your browser.

Can I use this for scheduling interviews across time zones?

Absolutely. Select the time zones of the interviewer and candidate, and the tool will show the overlapping hours that work for both.

Free Remote Work Tool

Time Zone Overlap Finder

Instantly visualize overlapping working hours across multiple time zones. Find the best meeting windows for your distributed team.

Select Time Zones

Work start Work end

Overlap Visualization

Select at least 2 time zones to see the overlap.

Zone

✅ Overlap

Current Time in Selected Zones

How to Use the Time Zone Overlap Finder

Select 2 to 4 time zones where your team members are located.
Adjust the working hours to match your team's schedule (default is 9 AM – 5 PM).
View the visual chart to see which hours overlap across all selected zones.
The green highlighted window shows the best time for team meetings.

Why Overlapping Hours Matter for Remote Teams

Distributed teams that span multiple time zones face a common challenge: finding enough shared working hours for synchronous collaboration. Research shows that teams with at least 3-4 overlapping hours maintain stronger communication and faster decision-making.

This free tool helps remote-first companies, freelancers, and globally distributed teams quickly identify the best windows for meetings, pair programming, and real-time collaboration.