Estimate how long a piece of text takes to read silently or aloud, at four reading speeds. Based on the word count, so it updates as you type. Everything runs in your browser.
Show calculation steps
Processed privately in your browser β nothing you paste is uploaded, logged or stored.
How the estimate is produced
The word count is divided by a reading speed you choose. Nothing else is modelled, and that is stated plainly because a reading-time figure presented with more precision than it has is misleading.
Worked example
500 words at 200 wpm β 2 min 30 s reading 500 words at 130 wpm β 3 min 51 s speaking aloud
The four speeds
150 words per minute for careful or unfamiliar material, 200 for average adult silent reading, 265 for fast, and 350 for a practised speed reader. Speaking aloud is estimated at 130, which is nearer a measured presentation pace than a reading one.
What the number does not account for
Density, subject familiarity, code blocks, tables, images and re-reading all change real reading time substantially. Technical material at 200 words per minute is optimistic; a familiar news article is pessimistic. Treat the figure as an order of magnitude.
Where it is used
Article headers, newsletters and course material, where it sets expectations and measurably improves the chance someone starts reading. For a spoken script the 130 wpm figure is the more useful one. Everything is counted in your browser.
How to Use the Reading Time Calculator
- 1Paste your article or text into the box.
- 2Adjust the reading speed (words per minute) if you like.
- 3Instantly see the estimated reading and speaking time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is reading time calculated?
Reading time is the word count divided by average reading speed β about 200β250 words per minute for adults. The tool counts your words and returns the estimate instantly.
What is the average reading speed?
Most adults read 200β250 words per minute silently and speak around 130β150 words per minute, which is why reading and speaking times differ.
How long does it take to read 1,000 words?
About 4β5 minutes at an average reading speed of 200β250 words per minute. Read aloud, the same text takes roughly 6β7 minutes.
Can I change the reading speed?
Yes. Adjust the words-per-minute setting to match slow, average or fast readers and the estimated time updates automatically.
