Reading Time Calculator
Estimate reading time for any text at different reading speeds.
150 wpm
250 wpm
400 wpm
130 wpm
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Average Reading Speeds
| Reader Type | Speed (wpm) | 1,000 Words | 5,000 Words |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary student | ~100–150 | 7–10 min | 33–50 min |
| Average adult (silent) | ~200–300 | 3–5 min | 17–25 min |
| Fast/skilled reader | ~350–500 | 2–3 min | 10–14 min |
| Speed reading | 700–1,000+ | <1–1.5 min | 5–7 min |
| Speaking aloud | ~120–150 | 7–8 min | 33–42 min |
| Audiobook narration | ~150–160 | 6–7 min | 31–33 min |
Reading Time for Common Content
| Content Type | Typical Word Count | Reading Time (avg) |
|---|---|---|
| Social media post | 50–150 | <1 minute |
| Short blog post | 500–800 | 2–3 minutes |
| Standard blog post | 1,000–2,000 | 4–8 minutes |
| Long-form article | 3,000–6,000 | 12–24 minutes |
| Short story | 1,000–10,000 | 4–40 minutes |
| Novella | 20,000–50,000 | 1.5–3 hours |
| Novel (avg) | 70,000–100,000 | 4.5–7 hours |
Why Reading Speed Varies
Reading speed depends on familiarity with vocabulary, text complexity, purpose (skimming vs. deep reading), eye movement efficiency, and fatigue. Technical documents and academic papers are typically read at 50–100 wpm because they require more cognitive processing than a casual article.
Frequently Asked Questions
At an average reading speed of 250 wpm, 1,000 words takes about 4 minutes. At 150 wpm (slow) it takes ~6.5 minutes; at 400 wpm (fast) about 2.5 minutes.
Reading above 350–400 wpm with good comprehension is considered fast. The average adult reads silently at 200–300 wpm.
At a typical speaking pace of ~130 words per minute, a 5-minute speech is roughly 650 words. A 10-minute speech is ~1,300 words.
Paste your blog text into the tool above. Medium's reading time estimate uses 275 wpm; this tool shows results for multiple speeds so you can choose your audience's expected pace.
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