Reading Time Calculator
Estimate how long a text takes to read, with an “X min read” label for blog posts, image time, and a word budget for a target reading time.
Reading speed varies with the reader and the text; treat the result as a typical figure, not a promise.
| Words | 200 wpm | 238 wpm | 260 wpm | Your speed (238 wpm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 1:30 | 1:16 | 1:09 | 1:16 |
| 500 | 2:30 | 2:06 | 1:55 | 2:06 |
| 750 | 3:45 | 3:09 | 2:53 | 3:09 |
| 1,000 | 5:00 | 4:12 | 3:51 | 4:12 |
| 1,500 | 7:30 | 6:18 | 5:46 | 6:18 |
| 2,000 | 10:00 | 8:24 | 7:42 | 8:24 |
| 2,500 | 12:30 | 10:30 | 9:37 | 10:30 |
| 3,000 | 15:00 | 12:36 | 11:32 | 12:36 |
| 5,000 | 25:00 | 21:01 | 19:14 | 21:01 |
| 10,000 | 50:00 | 42:01 | 38:28 | 42:01 |
Show readers how long an article takes before they start, the familiar “7 min read” label, or plan a post to fit a reading time. Enter a word count or paste the text, choose a reading speed based on research into adult silent reading, and add time for images that readers pause on. The reverse mode tells you how many words fit a target time.
How to use this tool
- Enter the word count, or paste your text to have it counted.
- Choose a reading speed: 238 words per minute suits most non-fiction, 260 fiction, 200 dense or technical writing.
- Add the number of images and how to time them.
- Copy the “X min read” label, or switch to “Words for a reading time” to plan a draft.
Formula
Reading time = words ÷ reading speed + image time · Label = reading time rounded up to whole minutes
The 238 and 260 words-per-minute speeds are the averages for adults reading English non-fiction and fiction silently, from Marc Brysbaert’s 2019 review of 190 reading studies. With the decreasing image rule the first image adds 12 seconds, the second 11, and so on down to 3 seconds for the tenth image and every image after it; the flat rule adds the same time for each.
Example
The default 1,500 words at 238 words per minute take 1,500 ÷ 238 × 60 ≈ 378 seconds = 6:18, labelled “7 min read”. Adding 3 images with the decreasing rule adds 12 + 11 + 10 = 33 seconds, for 6:51, still a 7-minute read.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average reading speed?
For adults reading English silently, about 238 words per minute for non-fiction and 260 for fiction, according to a 2019 review of 190 studies. Reading aloud is slower, about 180 words per minute in the same review.
How many words is a 5-minute read?
About 1,190 words at 238 words per minute, or 1,000 words of dense, technical writing at 200.
Should the label round up or to the nearest minute?
Either works if your site is consistent. This tool rounds up, so a 4 min 12 s article shows “5 min read” and never promises less time than it takes.
Sources
Last updated:
Page address with these inputs: https://kakao.mobile/tools/reading-time-calculator/
Cite or embed this tool
kakaoCalc. (2026, November 8). Reading Time Calculator. https://kakao.mobile/tools/reading-time-calculator/
“Reading Time Calculator.” kakaoCalc, 8 Nov. 2026, kakao.mobile/tools/reading-time-calculator/.
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