Reading Time Calculator
Estimate how long it takes to read a piece of text.
How reading time works
Reading time is the word count of your text divided by a reading speed in words per minute (wpm). The default of 238 wpm is a widely cited average for silent reading of adult content.
Paste or type your text and adjust the speed to match the reader — dense academic writing is often read slower, while light content is read faster.
The text never leaves your browser: everything is processed locally on your device, so your content stays private.
The formula
Reading time = Word count ÷ Words per minute
Count the whitespace-separated words in the text, then divide by the reading speed. The result is shown in minutes and seconds.
Worked example
A 500-word article at 200 wpm
500 ÷ 200 = 2.5 minutes, or 2 minutes 30 seconds. At 238 wpm the same article takes about 2 minutes 6 seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What reading speed should I use?
238 wpm is a common default for average adult silent reading. Use 130–150 wpm for dense technical or academic content, and higher speeds for simple or familiar material.
Does the calculator send my text anywhere?
No. Word counting and time estimation run entirely in your browser. Your text is never uploaded to a server.
What counts as a word?
Any group of characters separated by whitespace. Punctuation attached to a word is counted as part of it, matching standard word counters.
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