How reading time is estimated
Reading time is simply the word count divided by your reading speed. The average adult reads silently at about 200–250 words per minute, so this tool defaults to 220. Reading aloud is slower — around 130 words per minute — which is why the note shows a separate speaking time.
Why reading speed varies
Speed depends on the material and the reader. Light fiction goes faster than dense technical text, and skimming is faster still than careful study reading. Adjust the words-per-minute field to match how you actually read the piece in question.
Handy for writers and speakers
Bloggers use it to add "5 min read" labels, students to gauge study time, and speakers to check whether a script fits a time slot. Because both the word count and speed are editable, it adapts to any of those uses.
Frequently asked questions
What's the average reading speed?
Around 200–250 words per minute for silent reading, and about 130 for reading aloud.
How long to read 1,000 words?
At 220 words per minute, roughly four and a half minutes silently, or about eight minutes read aloud.
How is reading time calculated?
Divide the word count by your reading speed. Most adults read 200–250 words per minute, so a 1,000-word article takes about 4–5 minutes.
What is an average reading speed?
Around 238 words per minute for adults reading silently. It's slower for dense or technical text and faster for light, familiar material.
How many words are in a page or a book?
A typical page holds about 250–300 words, and an average novel runs 80,000–90,000 words — roughly 6 to 8 hours of reading.