Free tool
Speaking time calculator
Paste your script or enter a word count, pick a pace, and get the time it takes to say it out loud. No sign-up, nothing to install, and the math updates as you type.
Estimated speaking time
0:00
at 140 words per minute
| Pace | Rate | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Slow and deliberate | 110 wpm | 0:00 |
| Conversational | 140 wpm | 0:00 |
| Brisk presentation | 160 wpm | 0:00 |
| Fast delivery | 180 wpm | 0:00 |
How the estimate works
Speaking time is word count divided by pace: a 700-word script at 140 words per minute takes about five minutes to say. The calculator above also fills the comparison table, so you can see how the same script stretches or shrinks across delivery styles before you commit to a video length.
Two warnings from experience. First, silent reading speed is not speaking speed. A meta-analysis of 190 studies with 18,573 participants put adult silent reading near 238 words per minute for non-fiction against about 183 for reading aloud (Brysbaert, Journal of Memory and Language, 2019), which is why scripts timed by reading overrun badly. Second, real delivery includes pauses, emphasis, and slide changes, so budget ten to fifteen percent on top of the pure estimate for anything that will be presented live.
Use it before you record
The most expensive time to discover a script is too long is after recording. Size the script first: a 60-second short is about 140 words, a 3-minute YouTube segment about 420, and a 10-minute lesson about 1,400 at conversational pace. When the length is right, record with a prompt that follows your actual delivery instead of a fixed clock. Voice Sync in the AI Teleprompter app does exactly that, and the speed and eye contact guide has the full pacing tables.
Speaking time FAQ
How many words is a one-minute speech?
Between 120 and 180 words depending on your pace. Conversational delivery runs about 140 words per minute, so a one-minute video script is usually around 140 words.
How many words is a two-minute speech?
Roughly 240 to 300 words, and about 280 at a normal conversational 140 words per minute. Two minutes is where most people first overrun, so time the draft before you record rather than after.
What is the average spoken words per minute?
Around 140 words per minute for conversational delivery, 120 to 150 for presentations, and 150 to 180 for energetic video narration. Audiobook and broadcast reading sits near 150. Your own measured rate always beats these averages.
How do I test my speaking speed?
Read a passage of known length aloud at the pace you would actually use on camera, time it, and divide words by minutes. Do it twice: rehearsed reading is usually faster than the first attempt, and the second number is the one to plan with.
How do I find my own speaking rate?
Record yourself reading a 150-word passage at presentation pace, time it, then divide words by minutes. Use that number as your custom rate above; it beats any generic default.
Does the calculator count pauses?
It estimates pure speaking time from word count and rate. Real delivery includes pauses, slide changes, and emphasis, so treat the result as a floor and rehearse once for the true time.
What is the difference between speaking time and reading time?
Silent reading runs 200 to 260 words per minute for most adults, much faster than speech. Never size a spoken script with reading-speed math or your video will overrun.
Can I time individual sections of a script?
Yes. Paste one section at a time to budget hooks, segments, and CTAs separately. In the app, the same word-count logic is built into the script editor, and Voice Sync then scrolls at your real pace while recording.
When the length is right, record it
AI Teleprompter follows your voice while you record, so the time you budgeted is the time the video takes.