Reading Time Calculator
Estimate how long your article takes to read and show a 'X min read' badge to set reader expectations.
A reading time calculator tells you roughly how long an article, blog post, or landing page takes to read so you can set expectations for visitors before they even start. Paste your text, pick a reading speed, and get an instant estimate in minutes along with a clean word count. Adding a short "X min read" label near the top of a page is a small touch that can lift engagement and reduce bounce, because readers like knowing the commitment up front.
This reading time calculator uses the average adult reading pace of around 200 words per minute by default, and lets you adjust the speed for skimmers, technical readers, or audiences reading in a second language. It also generates a copy-ready HTML badge you can drop straight into your page template, so your time-to-read label always matches the actual content. Estimates always round up to the nearest minute, which is how most publishers display them.
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FAQ
How is reading time calculated?
Reading time is the total word count divided by an average reading speed in words per minute, then rounded up to the nearest whole minute. This calculator defaults to 200 words per minute, a common pace for adult readers of general web content, and you can change it to match your audience.
What reading speed should I use?
Use about 200 to 250 words per minute for typical blog and marketing copy. Drop to 130 to 180 for dense technical or academic material, and go up to 300 or more if your readers tend to skim. The right number depends on your audience, so adjust the speed field and compare the results.
Why add a reading time badge to my pages?
A visible "min read" label sets clear expectations, which tends to increase the share of visitors who actually start and finish your content. It is a tiny, low-effort signal of quality, and the copy-ready snippet from this tool drops straight into your HTML so the displayed time stays accurate.
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