Reading Time Calculator
Estimate how long it takes to read any article, blog post, book chapter, or script. Paste your text or enter word/character counts and choose a reading speed.
Most adults read between 200–250 words per minute for non-technical text.
Estimated reading time
0 min
0 seconds
Formatted: 00:00 (hh:mm)
Text statistics
Words: 0
Characters: 0
Reading speed
230 wpm
Words per second: 0.00
Short label suggestion: 0 min read
Range (±10% speed): 0–0 min
Assumptions used
- Reading speed is constant at your chosen words-per-minute value.
- Character-only input assumes an average word length of 5 characters plus a space (≈6 characters per word).
- Optional image time is added on top of pure text reading time.
How this reading time calculator works
This tool estimates how long it will take to read a piece of text based on its length and your chosen reading speed. It supports three input methods:
- Paste text – the calculator automatically counts words and characters.
- Word count – enter a total word count from your editor or CMS.
- Character count – enter characters (with spaces) and we estimate the equivalent word count.
Reading time formula
Reading time (minutes) = Total words ÷ Words per minute (WPM)
We then convert minutes to seconds and a
hh:mm format:
Total seconds = Total words ÷ WPM × 60
Hours = floor(Total seconds ÷ 3600)
Minutes = floor((Total seconds mod 3600) ÷ 60)
Seconds = round(Total seconds mod 60)
When you only provide a character count, we estimate words using:
Estimated words = Characters ÷ 6
This assumes an average of 5 letters plus a space per word (≈6 characters). For English and many European languages, this gives a reasonable approximation.
Typical reading speeds
Research and usability studies suggest approximate reading speeds for adults:
- Slow, careful reading: 120–180 wpm (dense academic or technical material).
- Average web reading: 200–250 wpm (blog posts, news, documentation).
- Fast/skimming: 260–350 wpm (light fiction, scanning for key points).
The default of 230 wpm is a good compromise for most online content. If you know your own reading speed, enter it in the WPM field for a more personalized estimate.
Using reading time for blogs, UX, and content planning
Many blogs and news sites show a small label like “5 min read” near the article title. This helps readers decide whether they have time to read now or should save it for later.
Common practices for these labels:
- Round up to the nearest whole minute (e.g., 4.2 → 5 min read).
- Show at least “1 min read” for very short posts.
- Base the estimate on an average speed (e.g., 200–230 wpm).
This calculator gives you both the exact time and a suggested label so you can copy it directly into your CMS or design.
When to adjust reading speed
You may want to choose a slower or faster WPM depending on the content type:
- Use slower speeds (150–180 wpm) for legal documents, scientific papers, or code-heavy tutorials.
- Use average speeds (200–240 wpm) for typical blog posts, marketing pages, and documentation.
- Use faster speeds (260–300 wpm) for light fiction, stories, or content meant to be skimmed.