Reading Time Calculator
Find out how long a text takes to read, or to say out loud. Paste it in for reading time at slow, average and fast speeds, plus speaking time for speeches, scripts and presentations. Free, runs in your browser, no signup.UpdatedReading speed
Paste or write some text to see how long it takes to read.
How this reading time calculator works
Paste your text or enter a word count, pick a reading speed, and the calculator estimates how long the text takes to read. Everything runs in your browser, so your text is never sent anywhere.You also get a speaking time estimate at 150 words per minute, useful for scripts, podcast episodes, voiceovers, and presentations.Word count to reading time
Quick reference for common word counts at a default reading speed of 225 words per minute and a speaking pace of 150 words per minute.| Word count | Reading time | Speaking time |
|---|---|---|
| 500 words | ~2 min | ~3 min |
| 1,000 words | ~4.5 min | ~6.5 min |
| 1,500 words | ~7 min | ~10 min |
| 2,500 words | ~11 min | ~17 min |
| 5,000 words | ~22 min | ~33 min |
| 10,000 words | ~45 min | ~1h 7m |
Which reading speed should you pick?
Reading speed depends on the reader, the difficulty of the content, and why they are reading. Match the speed to your audience with these common ranges.- 150 to 180 wpm: technical, academic, or dense material that readers work through slowly.
- 225 wpm: a safe default for general adult silent reading on medium-complexity text.
- 250 to 300 wpm: casual prose, lifestyle content, and news briefs.
- Most publishers default to 200 to 250 wpm for their 'X minute read' badges.
Reading time vs speaking time
Speaking time is always longer than silent reading time because speech includes pauses, breaths, and the physical work of articulation. The calculator estimates speaking time at 150 wpm, a pace commonly recommended for presentations and podcasts.- 120 wpm: deliberate, careful public speaking.
- 150 wpm: the recommended pace for presentations and podcasts.
- 180 to 200 wpm: typical conversational speech.
What does and does not affect the estimate
Only word count matters for this tool. Bullet lists, headers, and block quotes are counted as their raw text. In practice, heavily formatted content with lots of tables or code blocks reads slower than plain prose of the same word count, because readers scan rather than read linearly.Private by design
All counting happens in your browser. Your text never leaves your device, and there is nothing to sign up for.Frequently asked questions
Reading speed varies by reader, content difficulty, and purpose. The 225 words-per-minute default reflects general adult silent reading on medium-complexity text. Technical content reads slower, around 150 to 180 wpm, while casual prose reads faster, around 250 to 300 wpm. Use the presets to match the speed to your audience.
Speaking time is always longer than reading time because speech includes pauses, breath, and physical articulation. Speaking time is estimated at 150 wpm, a pace recommended for presentations and podcasts. For conversational speech, 180 to 200 wpm is typical, and for deliberate public speaking, 120 wpm is safer.
225 wpm is a safe default for general-audience blog posts. If your audience is specialist, such as technical or academic readers, use 180 wpm. If your content is casual, like lifestyle pieces or news briefs, use 275 wpm. Most publishers default to 200 to 250 wpm for their 'X minute read' badges.
About 4 to 5 minutes at 225 wpm, or 5 to 6 minutes for slower readers or dense text. For podcasts or speeches, 1,000 words takes about 6 to 7 minutes to speak at 150 wpm.
Only word count matters for this tool. Bullet lists, headers, and block quotes are counted as their raw text. In practice, heavily formatted content with lots of tables or code blocks reads slower than prose of the same word count because readers scan rather than read linearly.
No. All counting happens in your browser. Your text never leaves your device.