What is a reading time estimator?
A reading time estimator calculates how long text takes to read — silently and aloud — from its word count and a typical reading speed. Paste an article, a blog post, or a script and it returns a figure like "6 min read," the label you see at the top of posts on Medium and most blogs. It runs entirely in your browser, so your text is never uploaded.
Who is the reading time estimator for?
Bloggers and publications use it to add a "min read" label; newsletter writers to check length; editors to plan a content calendar. Speakers, podcasters, and video creators use the speaking-time estimate to fit a script into a slot. Students and professionals use it to gauge how long a report or a stack of readings will take to get through.
How to use the reading time estimator
- Type or paste your text.
- Pick a reading speed — slow, average, or fast — to match your audience.
- Read off the reading time, speaking time, and word count.
- Copy the ready-made "X min read" label onto your post.
How reading time is calculated
Reading time is the word count divided by a reading speed in words per minute (WPM) — reading time = words ÷ WPM. A large meta-analysis of reading research (Brysbaert, 2019) puts the average adult silent reading speed for non-fiction at about 238 WPM, with most readers between 200 and 300 WPM. This tool offers 150 (slow), 225 (average), and 300 (fast), so a 1,200-word article is roughly a five-minute read at average speed.
Reading speed vs. speaking speed
Reading silently is much faster than reading aloud. Speaking time here uses about 130 WPM, close to a clear presentation or narration pace, so the same text always takes longer to say than to read. If you're timing a talk or a voiceover, use the speaking figure rather than the reading one.
Why show reading time on your content
A reading-time label sets expectations before someone commits, which can lift how many readers start and finish a piece. It also helps you plan: a draft that runs twelve minutes might be better split into a series or trimmed. For talks and videos, the speaking estimate keeps you inside your time slot.