Cron Expression to Run Multiple Times Per Day

Running a cron job multiple times per day is one of the most common scheduling patterns — whether you need a twice-daily backup, hourly polling during business hours, or quarter-hourly data syncs. There are two approaches: comma-separated specific times, or step intervals with / notation.

Use our free cron generator to build multi-daily schedules with the custom frequency mode, or grab any of the ready-to-use patterns below.

Twice Daily Cron Expressions

The simplest approach: list specific hours separated by commas in the hour field.

Schedule	Cron Expression
9 AM and 9 PM	0 9,21 * * *
Midnight and noon	0 0,12 * * *
8 AM and 5 PM	0 8,17 * * *
Every 12 hours from midnight	0 */12 * * *
Every 12 hours from 6 AM	0 6,18 * * *

The comma-list approach gives you precise control over exact times. The step notation */12 gives you equal spacing but always starts from midnight.

3 or 4 Times Per Day Cron Expressions

Schedule	Cron Expression
3 times: 8 AM, 2 PM, 8 PM	0 8,14,20 * * *
Every 8 hours from midnight	0 */8 * * *
Every 6 hours (4x daily)	0 */6 * * *
4 times: 6 AM, 12 PM, 6 PM, midnight	0 0,6,12,18 * * *
Every 4 hours	0 */4 * * *
Every 3 hours	0 */3 * * *

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Multiple Executions During Business Hours Only

To run multiple times per day but only during business hours, combine an hour range with a step or list:

# Every 2 hours, 9 AM to 5 PM
0 9,11,13,15,17 * * *

# Every hour during business hours (9-5)
0 9-17 * * *

# Every 30 minutes during business hours
*/30 9-17 * * *

# Weekdays only, every 2 hours during business hours
0 9,11,13,15,17 * * 1-5

Sub-Hourly Multiple Times (Every N Minutes)

For higher frequency — multiple times per hour rather than per day — use the minute field:

Schedule	Cron Expression
Every 15 minutes (4x/hour)	*/15 * * * *
Every 20 minutes (3x/hour)	*/20 * * * *
Every 30 minutes (2x/hour)	*/30 * * * *
At :00, :15, :30, :45	0,15,30,45 * * * *
At :00 and :30 only	0,30 * * * *

For sub-minute scheduling (every 10 or 30 seconds), standard cron can't do it. You'd need Spring Boot's @Scheduled with a 6-field expression, or a loop inside your script with sleep calls.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I run a cron job exactly twice a day at specific times?

Use comma-separated values in the hour field. Example: "0 9,21 * * *" runs at 9 AM and 9 PM every day. You can list any combination of hours: "0 8,17 * * *" for 8 AM and 5 PM.

What is the cron expression for every 6 hours?

"0 */6 * * *" runs every 6 hours starting from midnight: at 00:00, 06:00, 12:00, and 18:00. If you want it at specific times instead (like 3 AM, 9 AM, 3 PM, 9 PM), use "0 3,9,15,21 * * *".

Can cron run more frequently than once per minute?

No, standard cron has a minimum interval of one minute. For sub-minute scheduling, you need a different tool: Spring Boot @Scheduled supports a seconds field, or your script can run a loop with sleep intervals.