Reading time calculator: words to minutes
Find out how long any text takes to read. Paste it in or type a word count, then pick a reading speed.
Want a personal estimate? Take the 60-second reading speed test and your speed appears here as an option.
The formula
minutes = words ÷ words per minute
An average adult reads non-fiction silently at about 238 wpm. So divide your word count by 238, or by roughly 240 for mental maths. For text people will read aloud, divide by 140 instead.
Speed depends on the reader and the text. Children, second-language readers and anyone studying dense material will be slower. Light fiction read for pleasure is usually faster. If you need a personal figure, the reading speed test measures yours in a minute.
Words to minutes chart
| Words | Slow (175 wpm) | Average (238 wpm) | Fast (300 wpm) | Aloud (140 wpm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250 words | 1 min 26 sec | 1 min 3 sec | 50 sec | 1 min 47 sec |
| 500 words | 2 min 51 sec | 2 min 6 sec | 1 min 40 sec | 3 min 34 sec |
| 750 words | 4 min 17 sec | 3 min 9 sec | 2 min 30 sec | 5 min 21 sec |
| 1,000 words | 5 min 43 sec | 4 min 12 sec | 3 min 20 sec | 7 min 9 sec |
| 1,500 words | 8 min 34 sec | 6 min 18 sec | 5 min | 10 min 43 sec |
| 2,000 words | 11 min 26 sec | 8 min 24 sec | 6 min 40 sec | 14 min 17 sec |
| 2,500 words | 14 min 17 sec | 10 min 30 sec | 8 min 20 sec | 17 min 51 sec |
| 3,000 words | 17 min 9 sec | 12 min 36 sec | 10 min | 21 min 26 sec |
| 5,000 words | 28 min 34 sec | 21 min 1 sec | 16 min 40 sec | 35 min 43 sec |
| 10,000 words | 57 min 9 sec | 42 min 1 sec | 33 min 20 sec | 1 hr 11 min |
Showing reading time on your own posts
A “5 min read” label helps visitors decide whether to start an article now or save it. To add one, count the words in the body text only (skip navigation, captions and code blocks), divide by your chosen speed and round up to the nearest minute. Add about 10–12 seconds per image if the post relies on pictures, which is the approach Medium describes for its own estimates.
For long guides, a range (“8–11 min”) is more honest than a single number, because readers vary so much. Use 300 wpm for the low end and 200 wpm for the high end.
Questions people ask
How is reading time calculated?
Reading time = number of words ÷ reading speed in words per minute. At the adult average of 238 wpm, a 1,000-word article takes about 4 minutes 12 seconds.
What reading speed should I use for a blog post estimate?
Medium and many blogs use about 265 wpm; 238 wpm is the research average for non-fiction (Brysbaert, 2019). For technical or academic text, use 175–200 wpm because readers slow down on dense material.
How long does it take to read 1,000 words?
About 4 minutes silently at 238 wpm, or about 7 minutes reading aloud at 140 wpm.
How many words is a 5-minute read?
Roughly 1,200 words at the average silent reading speed, or about 700 words if it will be read aloud.
Does the calculator store my text?
No. Text is counted in your browser and never sent anywhere. Only your chosen speed is remembered locally.