Techniques for splitting a time-range query into sub-queries for parallel execution are provided. In one embodiment, a user query requesting items from a database is received. A total number of items in the database that correspond to a time range of the user query is determined. Based on the total number of items, target values are determined. Each target value represents a target number of items in the database to be assigned to a respective sub-query. Based on the target values, a plurality of time periods within the time range are determined. Each time period corresponds to a respective set of items in the database platform, and a total number of items in the respective set of items corresponds to a respective target value. Sub-queries defining respective time periods of the plurality of time periods are then generated from the user query and executed in parallel.