Loona Reading Time Calculator - How Long Will It Take to Read?
Bloggers show reading time to keep visitors on the page, students plan revision with it, and editors use it to size articles. Paste your text, pick a reading speed, and get the time instantly - plus a word target if you need the text to last a set number of minutes.
How to use the Reading Time Calculator
- Type or paste your text into the box - the word count and reading time update as you type.
- Choose a reading speed: slow (150 wpm), average (200-238 wpm) or fast (300 wpm).
- Optional: type a target number of minutes to see exactly how many words a text of that reading time needs at your chosen speed.
How it works
Reading time is your word count divided by the reading speed in words per minute (wpm): minutes = words ÷ wpm. Research on adult silent reading puts the average at roughly 200-238 words per minute for non-fiction in English; careful or study reading is slower (around 150 wpm) and skimming much faster (300 wpm and beyond). The reverse calculation - words needed for a target time - is simply words = minutes × wpm. Everything runs in your browser; your text never leaves your device.
Worked example
Your article draft has 1,600 words. At the average speed of 200 wpm it takes exactly 8 minutes to read; at a slow 150 wpm it takes about 10 minutes 40 seconds, and a fast reader at 300 wpm finishes in about 5 minutes 20 seconds. Your editor asks for a 10-minute read at average speed - the calculator shows you need 2,000 words, so you add about 400 words of examples.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is reading time calculated?
The tool counts your words and divides by the reading speed you choose, in words per minute. At 200 wpm, a 1,000-word text takes 5 minutes to read.
What is the average reading speed?
Most adults read English non-fiction silently at about 200-238 words per minute. Careful study reading is nearer 150 wpm, and skimming can exceed 300 wpm.
How many words do I need for a 10-minute read?
At an average 200 wpm, a 10-minute read needs about 2,000 words. Type 10 in the target-time box and the tool shows the exact figure for your chosen speed.
Is reading time the same as speaking time?
No - speaking is slower, usually 130-150 words per minute. If you are timing a speech or presentation, use our Speaking Time Calculator instead.
Is my text uploaded anywhere?
No. Counting happens 100% in your browser. Your text never leaves your device.
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