How the script timer works
Speaking time is simple math: divide the number of words by your pace in words per minute. A 300-word script read at 150 words per minute takes 2 minutes. The timer counts the words in your script, divides by the pace you pick, and then adds any pauses you set.
The reverse works the same way. To know how many words fit into a 30-second spot at 155 words per minute, multiply: 0.5 minutes × 155 = 77.5, so about 77 words. The timer rounds down, because a script that is a word short is easier to fix than one that runs over.
A word is anything between spaces that contains a letter or a digit. Hyphenated words like "well-known" count once, and a lone dash does not count at all. Numbers count as one word each, even though "1,250" takes several words to say, so write numbers, dates and abbreviations the way you will say them if timing matters.
Choosing a speaking pace
The presets are starting points you can adjust, not rules. People speak at very different speeds, and the same person reads a bedtime story slower than a product demo. Two published numbers help anchor the scale:
- Narration, 155 words per minute: ACX, Amazon’s audiobook production marketplace, says most performers narrate about 9,300 words per finished hour, which works out to 155 words per minute. It is the default here, because voiceovers are usually read at a steady, clear pace.
- Read aloud, 183 words per minute: a 2019 meta-analysis by Marc Brysbaert in the Journal of Memory and Language put the average oral reading rate at 183 words per minute, based on 77 studies with 5,965 participants.
Slow (120), Relaxed (140) and Fast (200) are simply round values around those two. For a real answer, measure yourself: set a timer for one minute, read your script aloud in the voice you will use, count the words you got through and type that number into the words per minute field. Do it twice, because most people read faster on the second try.
Words for common lengths
How many words fit into common video, ad and presentation lengths at three paces, rounded down to whole words and without pauses:
| Length | Slow, 120 wpm | Narration, 155 wpm | Read aloud, 183 wpm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 seconds | 30 | 38 | 45 |
| 30 seconds | 60 | 77 | 91 |
| 1 minute | 120 | 155 | 183 |
| 90 seconds | 180 | 232 | 274 |
| 2 minutes | 240 | 310 | 366 |
| 3 minutes | 360 | 465 | 549 |
| 5 minutes | 600 | 775 | 915 |
| 10 minutes | 1,200 | 1,550 | 1,830 |
Pauses, beats and directions
Words are only part of the running time. A speaker takes a breath between paragraphs, lets a key line land, or waits for a slide to change. The timer handles this three ways:
- Between paragraphs: set a pause in seconds, and it is added once between each pair of paragraphs. Four paragraphs with a 1-second pause add 3 seconds.
- Markers in the text: write
[pause]or[beat]where you want a deliberate break. It adds the seconds you set for each marker. Write[pause 3]or[pause 1.5s]for a break of a specific length. - Directions: notes for the editor or the voice talent, like
[MUSIC IN]or[SFX: door], are not spoken, so they are not counted when the box under the script is checked. Uncheck it if you use square brackets for words that are read aloud.
The timing table shows when each paragraph starts and how long it runs, pauses included. That is handy for lining up a voiceover with video cuts, or for knowing which section to trim when a talk runs long.
Tips for a script that fits
- Leave some room: for a fixed slot, like a 30-second ad or a 5-minute conference talk, aim a little under the limit. Live delivery is rarely as even as a calculation.
- Count what is said, not what is shown: on-screen text, captions and slide titles only count if the speaker reads them out.
- Watch the hard parts: long numbers, web addresses, names and technical terms slow most readers down. If your script is full of them, pick a slower pace.
- Presentations need extra time: demos, questions and audience reactions are not in the word count. Treat the result as the minimum for the spoken part.
- Read it once out loud: a quick test read with a stopwatch is the best check. If it differs from the timer, adjust the pace and the rest of your timings fall into place.
How to use the script timer
- 1Paste your script, or switch to Word count and enter the number of words.
- 2Pick a speaking pace or type your own words per minute, and add pauses between paragraphs if you like.
- 3Read the speaking time, check the timing per paragraph, and set a target length to see how many words fit or how many to cut.
Frequently asked questions
How many words is a 1-minute speech?
It depends on how fast you talk. At the presets in this tool, one minute holds 120 words at a slow pace, 155 at audiobook narration pace and 200 at a fast pace. The quickest way to find your own number is to read a page aloud for exactly one minute, count the words and enter that as your custom pace.
How long does it take to say 500 words?
About 3 minutes 14 seconds at 155 words per minute, 4 minutes 10 seconds at a slow 120 and 2 minutes 44 seconds at 183. The formula is words ÷ words per minute, so 500 ÷ 155 = 3.23 minutes. Pauses, slides and audience reactions come on top.
How fast do audiobook narrators read?
ACX, Amazon’s audiobook marketplace, says most performers narrate about 9,300 words per finished hour. That is 155 words per minute, the Narration preset in this tool. Individual narrators and genres vary around it.
What is the average speaking rate?
There is no single number, because rate changes with the speaker, the material and the setting. A 2019 meta-analysis by Marc Brysbaert in the Journal of Memory and Language found an average oral reading rate of 183 words per minute across 77 studies. Speeches with pauses for emphasis usually run slower than plain reading. Time yourself for the most accurate result.
How do I add pauses to the timing?
Set a pause between paragraphs in seconds, and write [pause] in your script wherever you want a deliberate break. [pause] uses the default seconds you set, while [pause 3] or [pause 1.5s] adds exactly that long. [beat] works the same way. Directions in square brackets, like [MUSIC IN], are not counted as words.
Is my script saved or uploaded?
No. The script is counted in your browser and never leaves your device. It is not stored either, so copy your text somewhere safe before you close the page. Copy link shares only the word count, pace and pause settings, never the script itself.