Reading Time Calculator
Estimate how long a blog post, speech script, or announcement takes to read.
Why it helps
Showing an estimated duration helps readers decide whether to read to the end, and lets speakers trim a script to fit a time limit. Reading time is based on characters per minute (default 350), and speaking time on about 280 per minute.
When to use it
- Blog posts: show “3 min read” at the top to reduce bounce.
- Speeches: check whether a 3-minute or 5-minute script fits the time limit.
- Announcements & narration: gauge the runtime of event scripts or video narration.
Tips & things to note
- For a speech script, leave 10–20% margin beyond the estimate and read it aloud once.
- Splitting a blog post into intro, body, and FAQ makes it feel shorter to read.
- Text with many tables, images, or code may differ from a character-based estimate.
Frequently asked questions
How do I set the characters-per-minute basis?
This tool defaults to 350 characters per minute (silent reading). Since reading speed varies, try 250–300 for dense technical text and 400+ for easy text.
How is speaking time calculated?
Speaking aloud is slower than silent reading. This tool estimates speaking time at about 280 characters per minute. Since real speeches have pauses and emphasis, leaving 10–20% margin is safer.
Does it work for English text?
Calculation is based on characters excluding spaces, so it gives a rough estimate for English too. Since the default is tuned to Korean reading speed, treat results for mostly-English text as a reference.
How accurate is the result?
The estimate is character-based. Text with many tables, images, or code blocks may take a different amount of time in practice, so use it as a rough gauge.