Reading Time Calculator
Estimate how long your article takes to read and to speak aloud, so you can put an honest number at the top of the page.
A reading time calculator estimates how long a piece of text takes to read, using 225 words per minute for general prose. It is the number you show at the top of an article so readers know what they are committing to before they start.
Runs entirely in your browser · no signup · nothing is uploaded · updated 2026-08-29
How to use it
- 1.Paste your draft.
- 2.Read the estimate for silent reading and for speaking aloud.
- 3.Put the number in your post's dateline - it measurably improves engagement.
Frequently asked questions
What reading speed should I use?
225 words per minute for general prose. Technical content with code is closer to 150, so round up for developer documentation.
Does showing reading time help?
It sets expectations, which reduces bounces on long posts. It is not a ranking factor, but engagement effects are real.
Should code blocks count?
Not at prose speed. If a post is a third code, add roughly 50% to the estimate.
How long should a post be?
As long as the answer needs. A 4-minute post that fully answers the question beats a padded 12-minute one.
What reading speed do most sites use?
Between 200 and 265 words per minute. Medium famously uses 265, which flatters long posts. 225 is closer to measured adult silent reading speed for non-technical prose.
Does reading time affect SEO?
Not directly. It affects whether people start reading, which affects engagement, which affects everything downstream.
Should I round up or down?
Round up and never show zero. A 40-second read should say 1 min, not under a minute, which reads as filler.
How do I account for images and code?
Add about 10 seconds per image and count code at roughly half prose speed. A tutorial that is a third code needs about 50% more time than the word count suggests.
The guide behind this tool
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