Reading Time Calculator

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Estimate how long a text takes to read or speak aloud. Enter a word count or paste your text and pick a reading speed for an instant estimate.

wpm
Reading time –
Speaking time –
Words –
Characters –
Sentences –
Paragraphs –
Reading time uses your chosen words-per-minute; speaking time assumes about 130 wpm. Sentence and paragraph counts are estimates from the pasted text.

About Reading Time Calculator

The reading time calculator estimates how long a text takes to read silently or to speak aloud. Feed it a word count directly, or paste the text itself and let the tool count the words for you — along with characters, sentences and paragraphs.

Reading time is simply words divided by your chosen reading speed. Presets cover slow (150 wpm), average (238 wpm) and fast (350 wpm) readers, or set a custom words-per-minute figure. Speaking time is estimated separately at about 130 wpm, the typical pace of spoken delivery.

Writers use it to label blog posts with a “5 min read” badge, speakers to time talks and scripts, and teachers to gauge assignment length — free, instant and entirely in your browser.

How to use Reading Time Calculator

  1. Choose the input mode: enter a word count, or paste your text.
  2. If you paste text, the tool counts the words automatically and shows the total.
  3. Pick a reading speed — slow 150, average 238, fast 350 — or enter a custom wpm.
  4. Read the estimated reading time and speaking time, plus word, character, sentence and paragraph counts.

Frequently asked questions

The average preset of 238 words per minute reflects typical adult silent reading of non-technical text. Use the slow preset for dense or technical material, and fast for light skimming audiences.

Speech runs at roughly 130 words per minute, far slower than silent reading. The tool applies that rate separately, which is exactly what you need when timing a presentation, podcast script or voice-over.

Work backwards: at about 130 wpm, ten minutes is roughly 1,300 words. Paste your draft and check the speaking time output — trim or expand until it lands on your target.

They are close estimates derived from punctuation and line breaks in the pasted text. Unusual formatting, abbreviations or missing periods can shift them slightly, but word counts are precise.

No. Counting and timing happen locally in your browser, so drafts, scripts and confidential copy never leave your device.
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