How it works
Reading time is the word count divided by reading speed. A 2019 review of 190 studies by Marc Brysbaert found that adults read English nonfiction silently at about 238 words per minute on average, and fiction at about 260.
Presentations and speeches run slower, typically 130 to 150 words per minute including pauses. Use the speaking time to plan a talk or video script.
Paste your text to count its words automatically, or type a word count if you already know it.
Formula
Minutes = words ÷ words per minute
Questions people ask
How many words is a 5-minute speech?
About 650 to 750 words at a comfortable 130 to 150 words per minute.
How fast does the average person read?
Roughly 200 to 260 words per minute for adults reading silently, depending on the material. Technical text is slower.
How many words are on a page?
Around 250 to 300 for a typical printed book page; about 500 for a single-spaced page in 12-point font.