Script Timer: How Long Will Your Script Take to Say?
Paste a video script, speech or voiceover and get the read time at your speaking pace. Working backwards? Pick a video length and see how many words to write. When it fits, open it in the free teleprompter.
0 words · 0 characters · stage directions in [brackets] are not counted
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Counts happen in your browser. Your text is never uploaded.
Words to minutes: speaking time chart
How many words fit in common video and speech lengths at four everyday speaking paces.
| Length | Slow · 110 wpm | Conversational · 140 wpm | Energetic · 160 wpm | Fast · 180 wpm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 seconds | 28 | 35 | 40 | 45 |
| 30 seconds | 55 | 70 | 80 | 90 |
| 1 minute | 110 | 140 | 160 | 180 |
| 2 minutes | 220 | 280 | 320 | 360 |
| 3 minutes | 330 | 420 | 480 | 540 |
| 5 minutes | 550 | 700 | 800 | 900 |
| 10 minutes | 1,100 | 1,400 | 1,600 | 1,800 |
| 15 minutes | 1,650 | 2,100 | 2,400 | 2,700 |
| 20 minutes | 2,200 | 2,800 | 3,200 | 3,600 |
Figures are rounded words of spoken script. Pauses, slides, demos and audience reactions add time on top.
How the calculator works
Read time is simply words ÷ words per minute. A 700-word script read at 140 wpm takes 5 minutes. The hard part is knowing your own pace, which is why the timer shows the same script at four paces side by side.
The counter counts spoken words only. Anything in [square brackets], such as [cut to screen recording] or [pause], is treated as a direction to you and left out, the same way the teleprompter treats it. Punctuation on its own, like a dash, is not counted either.
To find your pace, read one paragraph of your script aloud at the speed you would use on camera and time it with your phone. Divide the words by the seconds and multiply by 60. Most people land between 130 and 160 wpm when talking to camera, and speed up when they are nervous.
Common questions, quick answers
How many words is a 1-minute speech?
About 140 words at a conversational pace, or 120 to 160 depending on how fast you talk.
How long is a 5-minute speech?
Around 650 to 800 words. Aim for about 700 if you want to finish on time without rushing.
How long does a 1,000-word script take?
About 7 minutes at 140 wpm. At a brisk 160 wpm it is closer to 6 minutes 15 seconds.
How many words for a 60-second Short or TikTok?
Around 140 to 160 words. Short-form usually runs faster than long-form, so most creators write to the top of that range.
Tips for writing a script to length
- Write 10% under. Scripts almost always run long once you add pauses and emphasis. If you need 3 minutes, write for 2:45.
- Cut the intro first. In video, the first sentence has to earn the second. Our guide to video hooks covers how to open strong in under 3 seconds.
- Time each section. Paste sections one at a time to see where the minutes go. Long setup with a short payoff is the usual problem.
- Read it aloud before you film. The timer gives you the arithmetic; a read-through tells you where you trip. Then run it on the teleprompter at the same pace.
Recorded a long video? Get the Shorts out of it.
Short.now finds the best moments in your video, reframes them to 9:16 and adds captions, so one recording becomes a week of Shorts, Reels and TikToks.
Questions
Divide the number of words by your speaking rate in words per minute. At 140 wpm, 420 words takes 3 minutes. Paste your script above to do it automatically.
Conversational speech to camera is usually 130 to 160 words per minute. Presentations and audiobooks run slower, around 110 to 150; fast-paced ads and recaps can go above 170.
About 420 words at 140 wpm, or roughly 330 to 540 words depending on how quickly you speak.
No. Text in [square brackets] is treated as a stage direction and left out of the count, so you can keep notes in your script without inflating the time.
It is saved in your browser so it is still there if you reload, and it is never uploaded. Clear removes it.
