Quick answer
Reading time = words ÷ words per minute. 1,000 words at 238 words per minute takes about 4.2 minutes, or 0.07 hours.
Enter the number of words and a reading speed. The calculator returns the time in minutes and hours.
Related tools: Words per Minute Calculator: Typing or reading speed in words per minute. Time Converter: Convert seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years. Time Duration Calculator: Elapsed time between two clock times, including across midnight.
How to use the Reading Time Calculator
- Enter words (above 0).
- Enter reading speed (words/min) (above 0). It starts at 238.
- Press Calculate to see the result, and use Reset to start again.
| Input | What to enter | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|
| Words | A number | > 0 |
| Reading speed | A number, in words/min. 238 wpm is the average for adult silent reading of non-fiction | > 0, starts at 238 |
Formula and method
Formula
time = words ÷ words per minute
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated.
The default is the meta-analytic average for adult silent reading of non-fiction (Brysbaert 2019); fiction and skimming differ.
Worked examples
These examples are verified: each one is an automated test case that the live calculator must reproduce exactly.
Example 1
Inputs: Words = 1000; Reading speed = 238.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading time | 4.2 min |
| In hours | 0.07 |
Example 2
Inputs: Words = 5000; Reading speed = 200.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading time | 25 min |
| In hours | 0.417 |
Example 3
Inputs: Words = 300; Reading speed = 300.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading time | 1 min |
| In hours | 0.017 |
The first line is the headline result (reading time). Below it the reading Time Calculator lists in hours, which describe the same case from other angles. IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated.
The 238 figure
A 2019 meta-analysis of studies found that adults read non-fiction silently at about 238 words per minute and fiction at about 260. Reading aloud and speaking are slower, typically 130 to 160.
Using it
Blog posts often show a 'read time' computed this way. A 2,000 word article at 238 wpm takes 8.4 minutes. Technical material, dense text and non-native readers read more slowly, so adjust the speed.
How the result changes with words
Holding every other input at the first worked example, this table changes only words. It shows how sensitive the answer is to that one value; each row was produced by running this calculator.
| Words | Reading time | In hours |
|---|---|---|
| 500 | 2.1 min | 0.035 |
| 1000 | 4.2 min | 0.07 |
| 2000 | 8.4 min | 0.14 |
| 4000 | 16.8 min | 0.28 |
What happens with invalid input
These messages are produced by the calculator itself, so you know what to fix.
- Words: entering "0" shows "Words must be greater than 0." beside that field and no result.
- Reading speed: entering "0" shows "Reading speed must be greater than 0." beside that field and no result.
Choosing between the Reading Time Calculator and similar calculators
Each row shows what a related calculator on this site asks for and what it returns, so you can pick the one that matches your question.
| Calculator | You enter | It returns |
|---|---|---|
| [Words per Minute Calculator](/education/words-per-minute-calculator/) | words and minutes | Speed |
| [Time Converter](/converters/time-converter/) | value, from and to | Day (d) → Hour (h) |
| [Time Duration Calculator](/time/time-duration-calculator/) | start time and end time | Duration |
| [Time Card Calculator](/time/time-card-calculator/) | start times, end times and unpaid break per day | Total time |
| [Download Time Calculator](/technology/download-time-calculator/) | file size, size unit and connection speed | Time |
Background: reading and typing speed
Speed in words per minute is words divided by minutes. For typing a word is conventionally counted as five keystrokes including spaces and punctuation, so speeds are comparable between texts, and reading time is words divided by your reading speed.
Published average speeds vary a great deal between sources, and claims of very high reading speeds with full comprehension are not supported by research.
Assumptions and limitations
- Speed varies by reader and text
If a required value is empty, not a number, or outside its allowed range, the form marks that field with a message and shows no result instead of a misleading number. The automated checks deliberately try invalid entries for words and reading speed to confirm this.
Frequently asked questions
How fast do people read?
About 200 to 300 wpm on average.
What about audio?
Speaking rates run 130 to 160 wpm.
How many words per page?
About 250 to 500, depending on format.
What does the Reading Time Calculator calculate?
Time to read a text at a reading speed. It returns Reading time and In hours.
What formula does the Reading Time Calculator use?
time = words ÷ words per minute. The default is the meta-analytic average for adult silent reading of non-fiction (Brysbaert 2019); fiction and skimming differ.
What do I need to enter in the reading Time Calculator?
You enter Words and Reading speed (words/min).
How is the result rounded or limited?
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated. Speed varies by reader and text.
What is an example of a reading Time result?
With words 1000 and reading speed 238, the reading time is 4.2 min.
Where does the method come from?
The method follows: Brysbaert M, How many words do we read per minute?, J Mem Lang 109 (2019) 104047.
Related calculators
- Words per Minute Calculator — Typing or reading speed in words per minute.
- Time Converter — Convert seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years.
- Time Duration Calculator — Elapsed time between two clock times, including across midnight.
- Time Card Calculator — Total hours, overtime and gross pay from daily start and end times.
- Download Time Calculator — Time to download a file at a given speed.
- Time From Now Calculator — Clock time after adding or subtracting minutes.
Sources
- Brysbaert M, How many words do we read per minute?, J Mem Lang 109 (2019) 104047
Content last reviewed 2026-11-04. Formulas and worked examples are checked by automated tests against independently computed values.