Paste any text to get word count and estimated reading time.
Reading Time Calculator estimates how long a piece takes to read, with an adjustable reading speed so you can model a fast skim or a careful read.
Reading time is the word count divided by a words-per-minute rate. The whole estimate hinges on which rate you pick, which is why the tool lets you change it rather than hiding a fixed assumption.
Adult silent reading of general prose runs about 200 to 250 words per minute. Careful reading of technical material is much slower, often 100 to 150. Reading aloud is slower still, around 130 to 150, which is the figure to use for a script or a speech.
A 1,500 word article at different rates:
Result: The same text is a 5 minute read or an 11 minute talk depending entirely on the rate you assume.
v1.0