Reading Time Calculator
Estimate how long it takes to read any text, article, or book at different reading speeds.
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How to use this calculator
- 1
Paste your text directly, or enter a word count manually.
- 2
Select the reading speed that best matches your audience.
- 3
The calculator shows reading time at your chosen speed plus a comparison at 3 common speeds.
Frequently asked questions
What is a typical adult reading speed?
The average adult reads 200–250 words per minute silently. Children read slower (100–150 wpm). Speed readers train to reach 400–700 wpm with some comprehension tradeoff.
How long should a blog post be?
For SEO, 1,500–2,500 words is typically recommended. At 200 wpm, that is 7.5–12.5 minutes to read. Long-form content (3,000+ words) tends to rank better but requires higher reader engagement.
How long is a novel to read?
The average novel is 80,000–100,000 words. At 200 wpm, reading 1 hour per day, that is roughly 7–9 hours to finish — about a week of evening reading.
Estimating reading time for articles and content
Why reading time matters for content
Showing "5 min read" on a blog post sets reader expectations and improves engagement. Readers who know the time commitment are more likely to start (and finish) an article. Medium, Substack, and most major publications display reading time for this reason.
Reading speed varies by content type
Technical documentation (code, formulas) is read at 50–100 wpm. Dense academic text: 100–150 wpm. News articles: 200–250 wpm. Fiction: 250–350 wpm. The speed selector lets you adjust for your content type.
Learn more from an authoritative source:
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Repeat any text or phrase a set number of times with a custom separator.
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Generate placeholder Lorem Ipsum text by words, sentences, or paragraphs.
Text Cleaner
Remove special characters, HTML tags, punctuation, numbers, or any custom characters from text.
Results are estimates for informational purposes only and do not constitute professional financial, medical, legal, or technical advice. Read full disclaimer →