Reading time calculator
How many minutes a text takes to read silently, and how long the same text takes aloud.
Fill in the fields and the result will appear here automatically.
Estimates duration from text or an integer word count and shows reading and speaking estimates together. The initial 200 and 130 words per minute are editable model settings, not population norms. With these settings, 1000 words give 5 minutes of reading and about 7 minutes 42 seconds of speech.
How it works
Formula and logic
For each pace, seconds = words / words-per-minute × 60. Ordinary durations are rounded to whole seconds; tiny nonzero durations remain numeric. In text mode a word is a Unicode letter-or-digit sequence with combining marks and internal hyphens or apostrophes. Pauses, images and the content of formulas are not measured separately.
Example
A 1200-word text reads silently in exactly 6 minutes and runs to 9 minutes 14 seconds aloud.
Fields and units
- What you have — list option
- Number of words — unitless
- Text — unitless
- Silent reading speed — words/min
- Speaking speed — words/min
How to use
- — Choose what you have: a word count or the text itself.
- — Paste the text or enter the number of words.
- — Adjust the reading speed to your own if needed.
- — Change the speaking speed if you are preparing a talk and know your pace.
Method and limitations
- Calculation method
- Formula and logic
- Data or methodology source
- MDN: Unicode letter and digit properties; word-joining rules are this counter’s convention
- Limitation
- In text mode a word is a Unicode letter-or-digit sequence with combining marks and internal hyphens or apostrophes. Pauses, images and the content of formulas are not measured separately.
FAQ
How is this different from a reading speed calculator?
That one measures your speed from what you read in a known time. This works the other way: the speed is known and the duration is estimated.
What reading speed should I use?
Measure your pace on a similar text and enter it. The initial 200 words per minute is a calculation setting, not evidence of your own speed.
Why is speech slower than reading?
Speech uses its own editable pace, initially 130 words per minute. It may be above or below the reading pace; measure your own delivery with pauses for the intended format.
How are words counted in pasted text?
A word is a run of letters or digits; a hyphen or apostrophe inside a word does not split it, and punctuation is not counted.
Are images and formulas included?
No, only the text is counted. Formulas and tables usually slow reading down more than ordinary prose.