The reading speeds used here
| Mode | Words per minute | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Read aloud | 150 | Speeches, presentations, voiceover scripts, audiobook estimates |
| Silent, average | 238 | Articles and blog posts — the default |
| Fast reader | 300 | Familiar material, experienced readers |
| Skimming | 450 | Scanning for a specific fact rather than reading |
Research on adult reading speed in English puts silent reading of non-fiction at roughly 240 words per minute on average, with a very wide spread between individuals. Reading aloud is far slower, because delivery is limited by breathing and articulation rather than comprehension.
If you are timing a talk
Use the read-aloud figure, then subtract. A written script read at a comfortable pace runs at about 130–150 words per minute, but a real talk includes pauses, a slide change that takes longer than expected, and a question you decide to answer. Budget around 80% of your slot for the script.
The most common mistake is writing to the full slot length. A 20-minute talk written as 3,000 words becomes a 20-minute talk delivered at 190 words per minute, which the audience experiences as rushing.
Why the estimate on an article is only ever approximate
Reading time counts words. It does not know that a paragraph contains a formula you will read three times, or a table you will study, or a code sample you will skip entirely. Treat it as a signal of scale — two minutes or twenty — rather than a promise.
Common questions
Is my text uploaded?
No. The calculation runs in your browser on this page.
What speed should I put on my blog?
Between 200 and 250 words per minute. Most publishing platforms use something in that range, and readers compare your estimate against others they have seen.
Can I count the words too?
They are shown alongside the time. For sentence and paragraph counts as well, use the Word Counter.