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Reading time calculator

Estimate how long a text takes to read aloud or silently.

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Reading time calculator
Paste an article, blog post, essay, newsletter or script and instantly see how long it takes to read. The tool also estimates speaking time, so you know how long the same text lasts as a presentation, a podcast segment, a video voice-over or a wedding speech — before you stand up and find out the hard way.
The reading speed selector covers three realistic paces. Slow (150 words per minute) suits technical documentation, legal text or careful proofreading. Average (220 wpm) matches how most adults read ordinary prose on a screen and is the default. Fast (300 wpm) approximates skimming or experienced readers. Speaking time is always calculated at about 140 words per minute, a comfortable presentation pace with natural pauses. Estimates under a minute are shown in seconds; longer ones as minutes and seconds.
Word counting is Unicode-aware: accented characters in Slovak, German, Polish or Hungarian count correctly, hyphenated words and contractions count once, and emoji or stray punctuation are never counted as words. Alongside the two time estimates the report lists word count, character count and sentence count, and the live tally updates as you type, so you can trim a draft to a target length in real time.
Everything runs locally in your browser. Nothing you paste is uploaded or logged, which makes the tool safe for unpublished drafts, confidential reports and internal announcements. When the numbers look right, copy the report or send the text onward to the word counter for a fuller statistical breakdown.
FAQ
How accurate is the reading time estimate?
It is based on established words-per-minute averages, so treat it as a solid estimate. Dense technical content reads slower and light prose faster — pick the speed that matches your audience.
Which reading speed should I choose?
Average (220 wpm) fits most web content. Choose slow (150 wpm) for technical or legal text and fast (300 wpm) for skimming or experienced readers.
How is speaking time calculated?
At a fixed pace of about 140 words per minute — a comfortable presentation speed that leaves room for natural pauses. It does not change with the reading speed setting.
Do emoji and punctuation count as words?
No. Only runs of letters and digits count, so emoji-only input has zero words. Hyphenated words and contractions like "well-known" or "don’t" count as one word each.
Is my text uploaded anywhere?
No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser and your text never leaves your device.