How long will it take to read your words?

ReadMetric instantly measures reading time, speaking time, and page count from any text — right in your browser, with no signup, no upload, and no waiting.

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100% free No sign-up Private — runs in your browser Mobile ready

Reading Time

0 sec

Word Count

Character Count

Reading Speed

238 words per minute

Built for writers, editors and publishers

One tool, three ways to measure how your words land with readers, listeners and page counts.

Three calculators in one

Switch between Reading Time, Speaking Time (for scripts, podcasts and text-to-speech), and Pages (for manuscripts and printed documents) — all driven by the same word count, so you never have to paste your text twice.

Reader Persona presets

Pick Skimmer, Casual or Technical to instantly match your audience's real reading speed, or fine-tune with the slider.

Private by design

Every calculation happens in your browser. Your text is never uploaded, logged or stored on our servers.

How it works

From blank textarea to a trustworthy estimate in seconds.

1
Paste your text

Drop in an article, script, chapter or email draft.
2
Pick a mode

Reading Time, Speaking Time, or Pages — whichever matches your audience.
3
Match the persona

Choose a Reader Persona or drag the slider to your audience's real pace.
4
Read the result

See time, word count and character count update instantly as you type.

How reading time is actually calculated

Reading time is estimated by dividing total word count by a reading speed expressed in words per minute (WPM). ReadMetric defaults to 238 WPM, the figure most frequently cited in academic silent-reading research, but real speeds vary widely by content type and reader familiarity — see our average reading speed guide for a full breakdown by content type and reading mode.

Speaking time works the same way but uses a speaking rate instead of a reading rate — conversational speech runs 150–160 WPM, while podcasts and presentations often run faster. Page counts use standard words-per-page conventions that vary by formatting; our words-per-page guide covers the exact figures.

Why showing reading time matters

Displaying an estimated reading time sets expectations before a reader commits, which correlates with lower bounce rates and higher completion — useful context for bloggers and SEO practitioners; see our reading time & SEO guide. Publishers on WordPress, Ghost, Medium and Substack can add a live estimate to every post — our WordPress guide and Ghost/Webflow guide show exactly how.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average reading speed?

Research shows the average adult reading speed silently is 200–250 words per minute, with 238 WPM commonly cited in academic studies. Technical or unfamiliar material is read slower; familiar fiction is read faster. See our average reading speed guide for a breakdown by content type.

How is reading time calculated?

ReadMetric counts the total words in your text and divides by your chosen reading speed in words per minute. The default is 238 WPM, based on academic research, and you can adjust it with the Reader Persona presets or the slider.

How does the speaking or text-to-speech time calculator work?

The Speaking Time tab uses the same word count but divides by a speaking rate instead of a reading rate — around 130–190 words per minute depending on whether the delivery is slow, conversational, or fast-paced like a podcast. See our speaking rate guide.

How many pages is a given word count?

It depends on formatting. ReadMetric's Pages tab estimates page count using standard conventions: about 275 words per page double-spaced, 500 words per page single-spaced, or 250 words per page for a typical paperback. Full detail in our words-per-page guide.

Does ReadMetric store or upload my text?

No. All calculations run locally in your browser — your text is never uploaded or stored on our servers. See our Privacy Policy.

Can I use ReadMetric on my phone?

Yes. ReadMetric is fully responsive with large touch targets, and works the same way on phones, tablets and desktops.

Is ReadMetric free?

Yes, completely free with no account, no paywall and no usage limits. The service is supported by advertising. See more in our full FAQ.