Reading Time Calculator
Paste a text or enter a word count and choose how you read: skimming, an average adult, careful study or dense technical material. The tool shows reading time and speaking time, a time for each section if you mark headings, and how many days the reading will take at the minutes a day you can spare. Speeds are assumptions you can change, because reading speed depends on the material and on you.
Runs in your browser. Your text is not uploaded or saved.
A commonly cited average for silent reading of non-fiction.
Slow and clear 110, Conversational 130, Fast 160. Presentations are usually 120 to 150 wpm.
Enter text or a word count, and minutes per day.
How it works
- Paste your text or enter a word count.
- Pick a reading situation or type your own words per minute.
- Optionally mark sections with lines starting with # or lines made only of --- to get a time for each.
- Enter the minutes you can read each day to see how many days it will take.
Options explained
- Reading situation
- Skimming 450, average adult non-fiction 238, careful study 150 and dense or technical 100 words per minute. These are starting points.
- Speaking speed
- Used for the speaking-time estimate. Presentations are usually 120 to 150 words per minute.
- Minutes per day
- Turns the total reading time into a number of days, rounded up.
How the result is worked out
- Reading time = words ÷ words per minute.
- Days needed = total reading time ÷ minutes per day, rounded up to a whole day.
- Words are counted with the same rules as the word counter.
Example
A 6,000-word article at careful-study speed (150 words per minute) takes 40 minutes. At 20 minutes a day, that is 2 days.
Tips for better results
- Lower the reading speed for dense academic or technical text. 238 wpm suits general prose.
- Use the speaking speed to plan presentations, then time yourself aloud and adjust.
- Add time for pauses, slides and questions when planning a talk.
Limitations
- 238 words per minute is a commonly cited average for silent reading of non-fiction. Individual speeds vary a lot.
- Dense material, figures and equations take longer than a word count suggests.
- Section times depend on the heading lines you mark.
Guides that go with this tool
Frequently asked questions
What is a good reading speed for studying?
Many students read around 150 words per minute when they need to understand and take notes. Time yourself on a page of your own material.
How is speaking time different?
People speak more slowly than they read, usually 120 to 150 words per minute for a talk.
Can I get a time for each section?
Yes. Start section lines with # or separate them with a line of ---.