Reading time calculator
Estimate how long your text takes to read silently or aloud using your own speeds and pauses. Compare the result with your available time, then keep a report without your source text. This free calculator runs in your browser without an account. It does not measure comprehension, ability, or reading performance.
Your estimate
Without JavaScript: 200 words, two paragraphs and a five-second pause give 65 seconds at 200 words/minute and 125 seconds at 100 words/minute. By hand: words × 60 ÷ speed, then add pauses.
Calibrate with a real trial
How to use it
Paste nonconfidential text, set both speeds, then choose pauses between paragraphs separated by a blank line. Results update as you type. To personalize reading aloud, time a sample at your usual pace, enter its word count and duration, and apply that speed. Export the report to compare another version without including your source text.
Method and example
Duration in seconds = words × 60 ÷ speed + pause × (paragraphs − 1), with no pause for empty text. Example: 200 words, two paragraphs, 200 words/minute silently, 100 aloud, and a five-second pause give 65 and 125 seconds. With two minutes available, the aloud estimate exceeds the slot by five seconds. Reading 120 words in 60 seconds gives a calibrated speed of 120 words/minute.
Limits and privacy
The initial speeds of 200 and 130 words/minute are editable assumptions, not universal standards. Vocabulary, attention, delivery, and actual pauses change duration. Counting groups letters or digits; an internal apostrophe or hyphen keeps a word together. Scripts without separators may be undercounted: this model targets French, English, and Spanish. Text stays in this page without automatic storage or transmission of inputs. Exports include only counts and durations, without private text or required links. Printing may include visible source text: review the document before sharing it.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a speed test?
No. It projects a speed you choose. Only an actual trial gives you a personal observation, without evaluating comprehension.
How are paragraphs counted?
A blank line separates paragraphs; a single line break does not create an extra pause.
Can I remove pauses?
Yes. Set the pause to zero seconds to use only the word count and chosen speeds.
Why does the result exceed my slot?
A positive gap means the estimated aloud duration exceeds your available time. A negative gap means time remains.
Does the report include my text?
CSV and text exports exclude the source text. Printing may include visible content: review it before sharing.
Sources and update
Segmentation uses an explicit convention based on Unicode properties. It does not claim to match every word processor. Calculations are arithmetic; no medical scale is used.
Unicode Technical Standard #18 · 2026-11-11