Reading Time Calculator
Paste your text to see how long it takes to read at average, slow and fast speeds. Adjust the words-per-minute to fit your audience.
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How to use this reading time calculator
- Paste your text into the text box.
- The reading and speaking times are shown instantly.
- Adjust words-per-minute if you want a different baseline.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average reading speed?
Adult readers average around 200-250 words per minute for general text. The default here is 200 wpm.
What about speaking time?
Average speaking pace is about 130 words per minute. The result also shows speaking time so it is useful for scripts and presentations.
How are words counted?
Words are counted by splitting the text on whitespace, the same way most word counters do.
Should I use the same WPM for blog posts and technical docs?
No. Studies put leisure reading around 250-300 wpm, business prose around 200-250 wpm, and dense technical or academic text closer to 100-150 wpm. If your audience scans rather than reads, the realistic figure is lower than the default.