Reading time calculator
How long will it take to read – or say out loud? Paste your text and set your own pace.
- Words
- 0
- Characters
- 0
- No spaces
- 0
- Sentences
- 0
- Paragraphs
- 0
- Reading time
- 0 sec
- Speaking time
- 0 sec
- Unique words
- 0
Your pace
| Pace | WPM | Your text |
|---|---|---|
| Slow reader | 150 | – |
| Average adult (silent) | 238 | – |
| Fast reader | 350 | – |
| Presentation pace | 130 | – |
| Podcast / audiobook | 155 | – |
Your chosen speeds are remembered in this browser.
Words to minutes
The calculator divides your word count by a pace in words per minute. The default reading speed of 238 wpm comes from Marc Brysbaert’s 2019 review of 190 reading studies. Speaking pace for presentations is usually 130–150 wpm, faster in conversation and slower for audiobooks.
| Words | Reading (238 wpm) | Speaking (140 wpm) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 25 sec | 43 sec |
| 250 | 1 min 3 sec | 1 min 47 sec |
| 500 | 2 min 6 sec | 3 min 34 sec |
| 750 | 3 min 9 sec | 5 min 21 sec |
| 1,000 | 4 min 12 sec | 7 min 9 sec |
| 1,500 | 6 min 18 sec | 10 min 43 sec |
| 2,000 | 8 min 24 sec | 14 min 17 sec |
| 2,500 | 10 min 30 sec | 17 min 51 sec |
| 3,000 | 12 min 36 sec | 21 min 26 sec |
| 5,000 | 21 min 1 sec | 35 min 43 sec |
Questions people ask
How many words per minute does an adult read?
A 2019 meta-analysis by Marc Brysbaert of 190 studies found an average silent reading speed of about 238 words per minute for non-fiction and 260 for fiction in English. That is the default here.
How long does it take to say 1,000 words?
At a typical presentation pace of about 130–150 words per minute, roughly 7 to 8 minutes.
How long is a 5-minute speech?
About 650–750 words at a comfortable speaking pace.
The rest of the kit
Your text follows you between tools, so you can paste once and check everything.