Reading time calculator for articles, emails, scripts, and speeches

Estimate how long a draft takes to read silently or say aloud. Use this page for articles, newsletters, scripts, speeches, and quick pacing checks before you publish, record, rehearse, or send.

Estimated read time Word count included No signup

The Instrument

Chapter I ยท Counting

Paste a piece here and the ledger updates at once. Reading time leads the panel, speaking time is shown for read-aloud work, and word, character, sentence, and paragraph totals stay nearby for pacing checks.

Reading time

0 min

Speaking time

0 min

Words

0

Characters

0

Sentences

0

Paragraphs

0

Characters (no spaces)

0

Quick pacing presets

  • 100 words: usually under 1 minute to read, about 1 minute to say aloud.
  • 250 words: roughly 2 minutes to read silently, about 2 minutes spoken.
  • 500 words: roughly 3 minutes to read, about 4 minutes spoken.
  • 1000 words: roughly 5 minutes to read, about 8 minutes spoken.

Best for silent-reading estimates

  • Articles that need a reader expectation near the headline.
  • Newsletters where length affects whether someone finishes.
  • Blog posts that need a quick editorial pacing check.
  • Reading estimates for drafts that will be scanned, not delivered aloud.

Why reading time matters

  • Blog editors use it to set expectations before someone opens a post.
  • Newsletter writers use it to keep editions concise and predictable.
  • Script and speech writers use it as a rough length check before rehearsals, then use the sentence counter to smooth uneven pacing.

Related tools