How long will my text take to read or say?
This calculator converts the length of your text into a time estimate. Paste your draft, choose a pace, and it divides the word count by your chosen words-per-minute rate to give you a minutes-and-seconds figure. It is handy for speeches, presentations, podcast scripts, voice-overs and gauging how long an article will take a reader.
Typical words-per-minute rates
| Activity | Words per minute |
|---|---|
| Silent reading (average adult) | 200-250 |
| Reading aloud / narration | 150-160 |
| Conversational speaking | 130-150 |
| Slow, deliberate presentation | 100-130 |
| Auctioneer / fast speech | 250+ |
Planning a speech
A good rule of thumb for public speaking is about 130 words per minute, so a five-minute talk needs roughly 650 words. Build in pauses for emphasis, audience laughter and slide changes, and aim slightly under your time limit rather than over. Switch the pace selector above to model your own delivery speed.
Planning an article
Readers skim, so the on-page reading time you advertise is a guide, not a promise. Most publishers base "X min read" labels on 200-250 words per minute. Use the reading pace here to match that convention.
Frequently asked questions
- How many words is a 5-minute speech?
- At a typical speaking pace of about 130 words per minute, a 5-minute speech is roughly 650 words. Use the calculator and the speaking preset to fine-tune for your own pace.
- What words-per-minute should I use for reading time?
- Most reading-time labels assume 200-250 words per minute for silent reading. The default here is 200.
- Does it count words the same as a word counter?
- Yes — words are sequences of non-space characters separated by whitespace, the same definition our Word Counter uses.