Writing
Reading Time Calculator
Paste or type your text to estimate how long it takes to read silently or to present aloud. Your text never leaves your browser.
Free, no account
Estimates update as you type.
Estimates
- Reading time
- 0 minutes
- Speaking time
- 0 minutes
- Words
- 0
- Reading pace used
- 200 words per minute
- Speaking pace used
- 130 words per minute
How reading time is estimated
- Words are counted with the same rules as the Word Counter: a word is any run of characters between spaces that contains at least one letter or number.
- Reading time divides the word count by 200 words per minute, a commonly used average for silent reading. Speaking time divides it by 130 words per minute, a commonly used pace for presenting aloud.
- Texts that would take under a minute are shown as “Less than one minute”. Anything longer is rounded to the nearest minute.
Limitations
- These are averages, not measurements of you. Reading speed varies widely between people, and with how familiar the subject is.
- Dense academic writing, technical terms, equations and tables all take longer to read than the average suggests. Skimming takes less.
- Speaking time doesn't include pauses for slides, questions or emphasis. For a timed presentation, rehearse aloud with a timer.
- Only the words in your text are counted. Figures, tables and references are included only if their words are part of what you paste.
Privacy
Your text is analysed entirely in your browser. It is never sent to ResearchKit or anyone else, and it isn't stored: closing or reloading the page clears it.