How to use the reading time estimator
- Paste the text, or leave the box empty and type the number of words instead.
- Choose a speed preset or enter your own words per minute. Use the fiction preset for novels and the non-fiction one for articles, reports and textbooks.
- Read the estimate under the inputs; it updates as you type.
- Optional: take the reading speed test, then press Use this speed to plug your result in.
Average reading speed
The defaults come from Brysbaert (2019), a review and meta-analysis of 190 studies with 18,573 participants:
| Reading | Average | Range for most adults |
|---|---|---|
| Silent, non-fiction | 238 wpm | 175–300 wpm |
| Silent, fiction | 260 wpm | 200–320 wpm |
| Aloud | 183 wpm | Based on 77 studies |
Fiction reads faster mainly because its words are shorter. The same review reports lower rates for children, older adults and people reading in a second language, and notes that these averages are lower than the figures often quoted elsewhere.
Reading time chart
| Words | At 175 wpm | At 238 wpm | At 300 wpm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 | 1 min 26 sec | 1 min 3 sec | 50 sec |
| 500 | 2 min 51 sec | 2 min 6 sec | 1 min 40 sec |
| 1,000 | 5 min 43 sec | 4 min 12 sec | 3 min 20 sec |
| 1,500 | 8 min 34 sec | 6 min 18 sec | 5 min |
| 2,000 | 11 min 26 sec | 8 min 24 sec | 6 min 40 sec |
| 3,000 | 17 min 9 sec | 12 min 36 sec | 10 min |
| 5,000 | 28 min 34 sec | 21 min 1 sec | 16 min 40 sec |
| 10,000 | 57 min 9 sec | 42 min 1 sec | 33 min 20 sec |
How long to read 2000 words, then? About 8 min 24 sec at the non-fiction average, and between 6 min 40 sec and 11 min 26 sec across the usual range.
How long does it take to read a book?
Book length is usually given in pages, but the word count is what matters. With the 260 wpm fiction average:
- A book of 50,000 words takes about 3 h 12 min.
- A book of 80,000 words takes about 5 h 8 min.
- A book of 100,000 words takes about 6 h 25 min.
These lengths are examples, not typical figures; check the word count of your book or estimate it by counting the words on one full page and multiplying by the number of pages.
Reading words per minute test: tips for an honest result
- Read the passage the way you normally read, not as fast as you can. Skimming gives a higher number but not one you can plan with.
- Take the test twice and use the average; the first try includes the time it takes to get going.
- Expect a lower rate for dense material such as contracts or textbooks than for this easy passage.
Planning a talk rather than reading? Speaking is slower than silent reading, so use the speech time calculator instead.