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Paste any text and instantly get the estimated reading time, speaking time, and word count — based on average adult reading and speaking speeds.
Calculate reading time · customizable WPM · word and character count · instant results
Add any article, blog post, script, or document you want to time.
Reading time, speaking time, and word count update immediately. Adjust the reading speed (words per minute) if your audience reads faster or slower than average.
Add a reading time label to your article, plan your presentation timing, or estimate podcast episode length.
The default is 238 words per minute — the average adult silent reading speed based on commonly cited research. You can adjust the slider to match your audience: slower for technical or complex content, faster for skimmable content. Speaking time defaults to 130 words per minute, a typical presentation or podcast pace.
Different tools use different assumed reading speeds — some use 200 WPM, others 250 or 265. The actual reading time also depends on content complexity, reader familiarity with the subject, images (which add time), and how much skimming occurs. The estimate here is a useful reference, not a precise measurement.
Yes. Displaying reading time prominently on blog posts reduces bounce rates — readers know what they’re committing to before scrolling. Medium and most major content platforms display reading time by default. For SEO, longer time-on-page correlates with better engagement signals, and accurate reading time labelling helps set appropriate expectations.
No. Estimation runs entirely in your browser. Your text never leaves your device.
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Reading time labels are now standard on content-heavy websites — Medium popularised them, and most major blogs, news sites, and documentation platforms display them. They help readers decide whether to read now or save for later, and they improve engagement by setting clear expectations. This estimator calculates reading time using adjustable words-per-minute rates so you can tune the estimate to match your audience’s reading pace. It also calculates speaking time, which is useful for presentations, video scripts, podcasts, and audiobook narrations where you need to fit content into a defined time slot.
All processing runs in your browser. Your content is never uploaded or transmitted anywhere.
