Step-by-step guide: How to Calculate Reading Time for a Blog Post or Speech
How to use the Reading Time Calculator
- Paste your text, or switch to Enter a word count if you already know the length.
- Choose a reading speed. The default suits general adult readers; choose “Careful” for technical or instructional content.
- For talks, podcasts and videos, choose the speaking speed that matches the delivery.
- If the article contains images, enter how many. Each adds a little viewing time.
- The estimates update automatically. Copy the ready-made label, such as “6 min read”, for your article header.
Example: a 1,500-word blog post with 4 images
Reading: 1,500 ÷ 238 = 6.30 minutes
Images: 12 + 11 + 10 + 9 = 42 seconds = 0.70 minutes
Total ≈ 7.0 minutes → “7 min read”
Read aloud at a presentation pace of 150 words per minute, the same text takes 10 minutes. That gap is why a script that “looks short” on screen often runs over time on stage.
Why show reading time
A reading-time label sets expectations. Readers deciding whether to start an article now or save it for later find it helpful, and some studies of news sites have found that people are more likely to finish an article when they know its length. For speakers, an accurate speaking-time estimate prevents the familiar problem of a talk that overruns its slot.
How the estimate is calculated
Words are counted with the same language-aware method as the Word Counter, then divided by the chosen speed:
reading minutes = words ÷ reading speed + image time
speaking minutes = words ÷ speaking speed
The default speed of 238 words per minute comes from a 2019 meta-analysis of 190 reading studies, which found that average for adults reading non-fiction silently in English. Image time follows a widely used convention: 12 seconds for the first image, one second less for each subsequent image, and 3 seconds for every image from the tenth onwards. The label is rounded to the nearest minute, with a minimum of one minute.
Who uses it
Bloggers and publishers adding reading-time labels, speech writers and presenters planning talks to a time limit, podcast and video creators estimating script length, and teachers setting reading assignments.
Limitations to keep in mind
- Reading speed varies widely between people and with the difficulty of the text, so the result is an average estimate rather than a precise prediction.
- Code, tables, formulas and charts take longer to read than prose; consider choosing the slower speed for technical articles.
- Speaking estimates do not include pauses for slides, demonstrations or audience questions.
- The image allowance is a convention, not a measurement of how long people look at images.
How your data is handled
The calculation runs in your browser and your text is not sent or stored.
Frequently asked questions
What reading speed should I use?
The average of 238 words per minute is a sensible default for general articles. Use 200 for technical guides, dense reports or readers reading in a second language, and 300 for light, skimmable content.
How many words is a 5-minute speech?
At a typical presentation pace of 150 words per minute, about 750 words. A slow, deliberate delivery at 120 words per minute brings that down to about 600.
Does the calculator count headings and captions?
Yes, every word in the pasted text is counted. If you do not want captions or code counted, remove them before pasting.
Why is my result different from Medium’s?
Platforms use their own assumptions. Medium, for example, has described a 265 words-per-minute speed with a similar image adjustment. Choose a custom speed of 265 to match it.