Is Reading Time Calculator free to use?

Yes. Reading Time Calculator is free, has no usage cap and does not require an account. There is no paid tier that unlocks extra output.

Does my data get uploaded to a server?

No. The tool is a JavaScript function that runs inside your browser tab. Nothing you paste or drop in is transmitted, logged or stored by us.

Do I need to create an account?

No account, no email address and no sign-in. Open the page and start working.

Does it work on a phone or tablet?

Yes. The interface is responsive and works in mobile Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox and Samsung Internet. You can also install Toolspea as an app from the browser menu.

Can I use the output commercially?

Yes. You keep every right you already had over the input, and we claim nothing over the output.

What reading speed should I use?

225 words per minute is a reasonable average for adult silent reading of general prose. Use 150 to 180 for technical documentation, and 250 to 300 for light, familiar material.

Should reading time round up or down?

Round up. Under-promising the length and then exceeding it is the failure mode readers notice.

How many words is a five-minute talk?

Around 700 spoken words at a 140 wpm delivery pace. Allow fewer if you plan pauses, demos or questions.

Calculators

Reading Time Calculator

Estimate silent reading and spoken delivery time from a word count.

Paste the text

Result

Options

Reading speed (words per minute)

Everything above is processed in this browser tab. Your input is never sent to a server.

What is Reading Time Calculator?

Reading Time Calculator estimates how long a text takes to read silently or to deliver aloud, based on configurable words-per-minute rates. It is used to add an honest 'x minute read' label to an article and to check that a script fits a time slot.

How to use it

1Paste the article or script.
2Adjust the words-per-minute rate if your audience reads faster or slower.
3Read the silent and spoken estimates.
4Use the figure in your article header or run-sheet.

Features

Silent reading estimate at a configurable rate, 225 wpm by default
Spoken delivery estimate at 140 wpm, a common presentation pace
Word count and exact minutes and seconds alongside the rounded label

When people use it

Labelling articles

A visible reading-time estimate sets expectations and correlates with people choosing to start long pieces rather than bouncing.

Timing a talk

A 20-minute conference slot is roughly 2,800 spoken words. Checking early avoids cutting slides on stage.

Known limits

Estimates assume continuous prose. Code blocks, tables and diagrams change actual time substantially.