Free Developer Tool

Cron expression parser in plain language

Type a 5-field cron expression and get a plain-language explanation plus the next 5 run times in your local timezone — parsed instantly in your browser.

Description

every 5th minute

Next 5 runs (your local time)

  1. Wed, Jun 10, 2026, 07:35 PM
  2. Wed, Jun 10, 2026, 07:40 PM
  3. Wed, Jun 10, 2026, 07:45 PM
  4. Wed, Jun 10, 2026, 07:50 PM
  5. Wed, Jun 10, 2026, 07:55 PM

Parsed entirely in your browser.

Stop second-guessing your crontab

Cron syntax is famously easy to get subtly wrong. Is 0 0 * * 5 Friday or Saturday? Does */15 in the hours field mean every 15 hours or at hours divisible by 15? A misread field means a backup that runs monthly instead of weekly, or a report that fires at 3 AM on the wrong day — and nobody notices until the data is missing.

This parser reads any standard 5-field cron expression (minute, hour, day of month, month, day of week) and explains it in plain language, then computes the next 5 run times in your local timezone so you can sanity-check the schedule against reality. Ranges, lists, steps, and names like MON or JAN are all supported. Everything is computed in your browser — nothing about your schedules is sent anywhere.

How to parse a cron expression

  1. 1

    Enter the expression

    Type or paste a 5-field cron expression, like */10 9-17 * * 1-5. Parsing happens as you type.

  2. 2

    Read the plain-language explanation

    The tool spells out exactly what the schedule means — "every 10 minutes, between 09:00 and 17:59, Monday through Friday" — field by field.

  3. 3

    Verify the next 5 runs

    Check the next 5 run times, shown in your local timezone, to confirm the schedule fires exactly when you expect before you deploy it.

Cron parser FAQ

Is this cron parser free?

Yes. It is completely free with no signup and no limits.

Is my cron expression sent anywhere?

No. Parsing and next-run calculation happen entirely in your browser. Nothing about your schedules leaves your machine.

Which cron syntax is supported?

Standard 5-field crontab syntax: minute, hour, day of month, month, day of week — including ranges (1-5), lists (1,15), steps (*/10), and names (MON, JAN). Seconds fields and tool-specific extensions are out of scope.

What timezone are the next run times in?

Your browser's local timezone. Remember that the server running the actual cron job may use a different timezone — UTC is common — so compare carefully.

Why does day-of-month plus day-of-week behave oddly?

In standard cron, when both fields are restricted the job runs when either matches (OR), not both — a classic source of jobs firing more often than intended. The explanation calls this out when it applies.

What happens when the job silently fails?

A correct schedule does not guarantee a healthy service. AllStak monitors your services and endpoints around the clock and alerts your team through incident management the moment something stops responding — so a silent failure becomes a loud one.