Reading Time Calculator: How Long Will It Take to Read?
Paste any text and see how long it takes to read, in minutes and seconds. This free reading time calculator counts the words in your article, essay, book chapter or script and estimates reading time at slow, average and fast speeds. It also gives the speaking time for a speech or video, lets you set your own words per minute, and shows the word, character and sentence counts. It runs in your browser, so your text stays private.
Use it to add a "5 min read" label to a blog post, plan a speech, check an essay against a time limit, or find out how long a book will take you.
Use the toolTime at every speed
Reading and speaking time
Estimates for silent reading and for saying it aloud.
Custom speed
Slow, average and fast presets, or your own WPM.
Word count mode
Skip the text and enter a word count directly.
Private by design
Your text never leaves your browser.
Paste your text, choose a reading speed and read the result. You also get the speaking time, the word, character and sentence counts, and a ready to copy label like "5 min read".
Key Takeaways
- Reading time is the word count divided by words per minute. The tool defaults to 238 WPM, the average for adults reading silently.
- Speaking time uses a slower pace, about 130 words per minute, which suits speeches and videos.
- You can change the speed to match your audience, or enter a word count if you do not have the text.
- An image allowance adds time for each picture, 12 seconds each by default.
- Your text is processed in your browser and never uploaded.
How to Use the Reading Time Calculator
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1STEP 1 Paste your text into the box. You can also switch to word count mode and type a number of words.
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2STEP 2 The reading time appears right away, and updates as you type or edit.
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3STEP 3 Choose a reading speed: slow, average, fast, or enter your own words per minute.
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4STEP 4 Check the speaking time if you are writing a speech, presentation or video script.
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5STEP 5 Click Copy label to get a ready-made "x min read" line for your blog or newsletter.
How Is Reading Time Calculated?
The formula is simple: reading time in minutes equals the number of words divided by your reading speed in words per minute. A 1,000 word article read at 238 words per minute takes 1000 divided by 238, which is about 4.2 minutes.
Most blogs round up to the nearest whole minute, so 4.2 minutes is shown as a 5 minute read. If your result is under a minute, tools usually show "less than a minute" or the time in seconds, which is what this calculator does.
What Is the Average Reading Speed?
Reading speed varies by person, text and purpose. A widely cited 2019 review of reading studies found that adults read about 238 words per minute on average when reading non-fiction silently, and about 260 words per minute for fiction. Many tools round this to 200 to 250 words per minute. People who read slowly, or who read difficult material, may be under 200, and fast readers can reach 300 or more.
| Speed | Words per minute | Typical situation |
|---|---|---|
| Slow | 200 | Technical, legal or academic text, or a second language |
| Average | 238 | General non-fiction and web articles for adults |
| Fast | 300 | Familiar topics, light reading, skimming |
| Speaking | 130 | Presentations and speeches at a comfortable pace |
This tool uses 238 words per minute as the default. You can change it to match your audience or yourself.
Reading Time by Word Count
This table shows how long common lengths take at each speed. It was calculated by dividing the word count by words per minute.
| Words | Slow reader (200 wpm) | Average (238 wpm) | Fast reader (300 wpm) | Speaking (130 wpm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | 2.5 min | 2.1 min | 1.7 min | 3.8 min |
| 1,000 | 5 min | 4.2 min | 3.3 min | 7.7 min |
| 1,500 | 7.5 min | 6.3 min | 5 min | 11.5 min |
| 2,000 | 10 min | 8.4 min | 6.7 min | 15.4 min |
| 3,000 | 15 min | 12.6 min | 10 min | 23.1 min |
| 5,000 | 25 min | 21 min | 16.7 min | 38.5 min |
| 10,000 | 50 min | 42 min | 33.3 min | 76.9 min |
How Long Does It Take to Read a Book?
For a book, work out the total word count first, then divide by your reading speed. A rough guide at 238 words per minute is below. Actual books vary a lot, and your speed will change with the book.
| Length | Words | Reading time at 238 wpm |
|---|---|---|
| Short story or long article | 10,000 | 0.7 hours |
| Novella | 30,000 | 2.1 hours |
| Average novel | 80,000 | 5.6 hours |
| Long novel | 100,000 | 7.0 hours |
Reading for 30 minutes a day, an 80,000 word novel takes about 11 days at that pace.
Speaking Time Calculator for Speeches and Videos
People speak much more slowly than they read. A comfortable speaking pace is about 130 words per minute, though many presenters sit between 120 and 150. That means a 5 minute talk is roughly 650 words, and a 10 minute talk is about 1,300 words. Leave room for pauses, slides and questions, and read your script aloud once with a timer to confirm the total.
| Talk length | About this many words | Words at fast pace (150 wpm) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 minutes | 390 | 450 |
| 5 minutes | 650 | 750 |
| 10 minutes | 1,300 | 1,500 |
| 20 minutes | 2,600 | 3,000 |
Why Add Reading Time to Your Articles?
A reading time label tells visitors how much of their time a page will take, which helps them decide whether to start now or save it for later. It is common on blogs, news sites and newsletters. Showing it is a simple way to set expectations. Long, deep articles tend to attract readers who want depth, and short ones suit quick answers, so the label helps each reader find what fits.
How to add reading time to a blog
- Count the words in your post with this calculator or the Word Counter.
- Divide by 238 (or 200 for a cautious estimate) and round up to the nearest minute.
- Add the label near the title, for example "5 min read".
- If your site runs on WordPress or another platform, many themes and plug ins can add this label automatically using the same formula.
Does Reading Time Include Images, Code and Tables?
Plain word count gives an estimate for text only. Pages with many images, charts, tables or code samples take longer, because readers stop to look at them. Some platforms add a few seconds for each image. Turn on the image option in the tool to add a short allowance for each picture, or add time by hand for pages with a lot of visuals.
Factors That Change Reading Time
- Difficulty. Dense, technical or legal writing is read more slowly than light articles.
- Purpose. Reading to remember or to study takes longer than skimming for the main idea.
- Language. People reading in a second language usually read more slowly.
- Screen or paper. Reading on a screen can be slightly slower for some readers.
- Layout. Short paragraphs, headings and lists make a page faster to scan.
Is My Text Private?
Yes. The tool counts words and works out times in your browser. Your text is not uploaded, stored or shared, so you can check drafts, essays and unpublished work with confidence.
More Free Writing Tools
For a full count of words, characters and sentences, use the Word Counter. Check how many characters a social post allows with the Character Counter, tidy your headings with the Case Converter, or compare two drafts with the Text Compare tool. Practising your own reading pace? Try the Typing Speed Test.
FAQs
How do I calculate reading time?
Divide the number of words by your reading speed in words per minute. At 238 words per minute, a 1,000 word article takes about 4.2 minutes. This calculator does it for you: paste your text or enter a word count, and it shows the reading time, speaking time and word count at once.
What is the average reading speed per minute?
Adults read about 238 words per minute on average for non-fiction when reading silently, according to a widely cited 2019 review of studies, and a little faster for fiction. Many tools use 200 to 250. Your own speed depends on the text, your language and whether you are skimming or studying.
How long does it take to read 1,000 words?
At 238 words per minute, 1,000 words take about 4.2 minutes. A slow reader at 200 words per minute needs 5 minutes, and a fast reader at 300 words per minute needs about 3.3 minutes. Most blogs round this up and label it as a 5 minute read.
How many words is a 5 minute read?
At the average speed of 238 words per minute, a 5 minute read is about 1,190 words. At 200 words per minute it is 1,000 words, and at 300 it is about 1,500 words. Pick the speed that suits your readers, and remember that images and tables add time.
How do I work out speaking time for a speech?
Divide your word count by a speaking pace of about 130 words per minute. A 650 word script runs about 5 minutes, and a 1,300 word script about 10 minutes. Time yourself reading it aloud once, because pauses, slides and audience reactions change the total.
How long does it take to read a book?
Divide the total number of words by your reading speed, then divide by 60 for hours. An 80,000 word novel takes about 5.6 hours at 238 words per minute. Reading 30 minutes a day, that is about 11 days. Slower reading or denser books will take longer.
Can I change the reading speed?
Yes. Choose slow, average or fast, or type your own words per minute. This is useful if your readers are students, specialists or people reading in a second language. To measure your own speed, time yourself reading a passage of known length and divide the words by the minutes.
Is my text saved when I use the calculator?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser. Your text is not sent to a server or stored. When you close or refresh the page, it is gone. This makes the tool safe for drafts, essays, client work and any writing that is not published yet.
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