Reading Time Calculator
Free Reading time tool for readability & counts. Enter your details to get instant, tailored results and guidance. Includes formulas and worked examples.
Reviewed for accuracy by Daniel Agrici, Founder & Lead Developer
Reading Time Calculator
Calculator
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Formula: Reading Time = Word Count / Reading Speed (wpm)
Worked example — Reading time: ~8 min | Speaking time: ~12 min | ~6.5 pages
Formula
Reading Time = Word Count / Reading Speed (wpm)
Divide the total number of words by the reading speed in words per minute (wpm). The default average is 238 wpm for silent reading. Speaking time uses 150 wpm. Pages are estimated at 275 words per page.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Blog Post Reading Time
Problem:A blog post has 1,800 words. Calculate reading time at average speed (238 wpm) and estimate the page count.
Solution:Reading time: 1,800 / 238 = 7.6 minutes Speaking time: 1,800 / 150 = 12.0 minutes Pages: 1,800 / 275 = 6.5 pages
Result:Reading time: ~8 min | Speaking time: ~12 min | ~6.5 pages
Example 2: Academic Paper
Problem:A 12,000-word research paper needs to be read at a slower academic pace of 180 wpm.
Solution:Reading time: 12,000 / 180 = 66.7 minutes ≈ 1 hour 7 minutes Speaking time: 12,000 / 150 = 80 minutes ≈ 1 hour 20 minutes Pages: 12,000 / 275 = 43.6 pages
Result:Reading time: ~1h 7m | Speaking time: ~1h 20m | ~44 pages
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average reading speed?
The average adult reading speed is approximately 238 words per minute (wpm) according to a 2019 meta-analysis by Brysbaert. However, this varies significantly: college students average 200-300 wpm, speed readers can reach 400-700 wpm, and technical or academic reading often drops to 150-200 wpm. Children and non-native speakers typically read slower at 100-200 wpm.
How do I estimate reading time for a blog post?
Divide the total word count by your target reading speed (238 wpm for general audiences). A 1,000-word post takes about 4 minutes. Many blogs display reading time to set reader expectations. Medium.com uses 265 wpm for their reading time estimates. Round up to the nearest minute for display purposes.
What affects reading speed?
Key factors include: text difficulty (academic vs. casual), familiarity with the topic, font type and size, reader's education level, purpose (skimming vs. studying), language (native vs. second language), and medium (screen vs. print — screen reading is about 25% slower). Fatigue and distractions also significantly reduce effective reading speed.
How do I calculate reading time for an article?
The average adult reads 200–250 words per minute (wpm) for general text. Divide word count by your target reading speed: a 1,500-word article takes about 6–7 minutes at 230 wpm. Technical or academic content is slower (150–180 wpm). Blog posts use 200–250 wpm; audiobooks and speeches are typically 130–160 wpm.
How is speech time calculated from word count?
Divide word count by your speaking rate. Average conversational speech: 130–150 wpm. Presentations and public speaking: 120–150 wpm. Fast speaking: 160–180 wpm. A 10-minute speech at 130 wpm needs about 1,300 words; at 150 wpm, about 1,500 words. Practice delivery at your natural pace and measure actual time to calibrate.
References
Reviewed for accuracy by Daniel Agrici, Founder & Lead Developer · Editorial policy
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