📖 Reading Time Calculator
Estimate how long it takes to read any text. Enter a word count or paste your text directly to get reading time, speaking time, and page count estimates.
Average Reading Speeds
| Reader Type | WPM | 200-page book |
|---|---|---|
| Slow reader | 150 | 11h 7m |
| Average adult | 238 | 7h |
| Fast reader | 350 | 4h 46m |
| Speed reader | 700+ | ~2h |
| Speaker (aloud) | 130 | 12h 50m |
Frequently Asked Questions
The average adult reads at approximately 238 words per minute (wpm) for non-fiction and slightly faster for fiction. College students average around 300 wpm while still retaining comprehension.
A typical novel has 70,000–100,000 words. At 238 wpm that is roughly 5–7 hours of reading time. A short 50,000-word novel takes around 3.5 hours.
Reading speed depends on text complexity, familiarity with the subject, font size and line spacing, lighting conditions, and whether you subvocalize (silently mouth words). Technical texts are typically read 20–30% slower.
Reduce subvocalization, use a pointer to guide your eyes, practice chunking (reading groups of words), and minimize re-reading. Apps like Spreeder and Reedy can help train faster reading through rapid serial visual presentation.
The publishing industry standard is approximately 250–300 words per page for a standard 6×9 inch trade paperback. Mass market paperbacks may have 300–350 words per page due to smaller trim size.
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