Reading Time Calculator
Paste any text and find out how long it takes to read — or to present out loud — with the speed set to your own pace.
Average adult reading is ~200 wpm silently and ~130–150 wpm aloud. Speaking time uses a natural spoken pace (roughly 110–180 wpm), whatever your reading speed.
About this tool
“How long is this in minutes?” is the question behind every speech, sermon, video script, podcast and presentation. This calculator converts word count into time at your actual pace: drag the slider to your reading speed and the reading and speaking estimates update together.
As a guide: silent reading averages about 200 words per minute for adults, reading aloud about 130–150, and a comfortable presentation pace is slower still — around 120–130. A 1,000-word speech is roughly 7–8 minutes spoken. The calculation happens in your browser; your script or draft is never uploaded.
How to use it
- Paste your text into the box.
- Drag the speed slider to match your pace (defaults to 200 wpm).
- Read off the reading time and speaking time — and trim or pad your text to hit your slot.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to read 1,000 words?
About 5 minutes silently at an average 200 wpm, and about 7–8 minutes spoken aloud at a natural presentation pace.
What reading speed should I use?
Use 200 wpm for average silent reading, 150 for careful reading, and 250–300 if you are a fast reader skimming. For speeches, the speaking estimate already assumes a slower, natural pace.
Does Medium/blog reading time use the same math?
Roughly, yes — most platforms divide words by about 200 wpm (some use 265 for silent reading). This calculator lets you match whichever convention you need.