snaptools
Cron Expression Parser
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In plain English
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Result appears here as you type
runs in your browser · nothing uploaded
// about this tool

Cron Expression Parser Online

Updated 2026-07-09

Parse and explain cron expressions online for free. Paste a standard 5-field cron schedule and SnapTools turns it into a plain-English description — "at 09:00, Monday through Friday" — instantly, in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded.

Cron syntax is compact but easy to misread, and a wrong field can mean a job runs every minute instead of once a day. This parser translates each field — the asterisks, ranges, steps, and lists — into words so you can confirm a schedule before you ship it, or make sense of a crontab line someone else wrote.

// how to use

  1. 1 Paste a 5-field cron expression into the input panel (minute, hour, day-of-month, month, day-of-week).
  2. 2 SnapTools explains the schedule in plain English as you type.
  3. 3 Copy the description, or adjust the expression until it matches the schedule you want.

// examples

Every day at midnight
Input
0 0 * * *
Output
At 00:00 every day.
Every 15 minutes
Input
*/15 * * * *
Output
Every 15 minutes.
Weekdays at 9am
Input
0 9 * * 1-5
Output
At 09:00, Monday through Friday.

// common uses

Double-checking a cron schedule before deploying it Understanding a cron line you found in a config or crontab Learning cron syntax by experimenting Explaining a scheduled job during code review

// faq

No. Parsing runs entirely in your browser, so nothing you enter leaves your machine.
In order they are minute (0–59), hour (0–23), day of month (1–31), month (1–12), and day of week (0–6, where 0 is Sunday). This tool reads a standard 5-field expression.
An asterisk (*) means "every" value, a slash (*/5) means "every Nth", a comma (1,15) lists specific values, and a hyphen (1-5) gives a range. The parser translates all of these into words.
It targets the classic 5-field format used by Unix cron and most schedulers. It does not require a seconds field, and numeric month and weekday values are described in plain English.
Each field must contain valid values and characters for its position — for example a minute above 59 or an unknown symbol will be rejected. Check that all five fields are present and within range.

Use this via API

Get a free API key →
curl -X POST https://snaptools.dev/api/v1/tools/cron-expression-parser \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"text":"0 0 * * *"}'
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