Voiceover and narration

Script Timer

Paste a script and see how long it runs when read aloud. Directions in [brackets] are left out.

Looked after by Sandy, an hourglass.

0 speakable words0 sentences0 paragraphs
Customwords per minute

Estimated duration

0:00

0 seconds

At every speed

Slow
120 WPM
0:00
Normal
150 WPM
0:00
Medium-Fast
170 WPM
0:00
Fast
190 WPM
0:00
Very Fast
220 WPM
0:00

Speaking rates

Audiobooks150–160
Podcasts140–170
YouTube150–180
Documentaries120–150
Commercials180–220
Explainers140–160
News160–180

How it works

  1. 1Paste your scriptPut directions in [brackets] or (parentheses).
  2. 2Pick a reading speedOr type your own words per minute.
  3. 3Read the runtimeIt updates as you edit.
  4. 4Leave room to breatheAdd 10 to 20% for pauses and emphasis.

Questions

How accurate is the script timer?
The timer uses industry-standard words-per-minute rates. Normal conversational pace is ~150 WPM. Actual duration varies based on pauses, emphasis, and delivery style. Use this as a baseline estimate, then adjust based on your actual recordings.
What reading speed should I use?
For YouTube videos, 150-170 WPM works well. Documentaries and dramatic content use 120-140 WPM. Commercials and energetic content often hit 180-220 WPM. Podcasts typically range 140-160 WPM.
Does this count pauses and breaths?
The base calculation assumes natural speech with brief pauses. For scripts with [PAUSE] markers or significant dramatic beats, add 10-20% to the estimated time. The tool counts brackets and common pause indicators to help estimate.
How are words counted?
Words are counted by splitting on whitespace. Numbers count as one word each. Hyphenated words count as one word. Script directions in [brackets] are excluded from the word count but noted separately.
What about different languages?
This tool is optimized for English. Other languages have different speaking rates - Spanish and Italian tend to be faster, while Mandarin and German can be slower. Adjust the WPM accordingly for non-English scripts.
Speaking rate reference

How fast people usually read aloud, by kind of content, in words per minute:

Slower, measured

Documentaries run 120 to 150, dramatic and deliberate. Explainer videos sit at 140 to 160, clear and educational. Audiobooks read at 150 to 160, with careful enunciation.

Conversational

Podcasts land between 140 and 170, natural and unhurried. YouTube videos work best at 150 to 180, quick enough to hold attention.

Fast

News anchors read at 160 to 180, professional and authoritative. Commercials run fastest, at 180 to 220 and full of energy.

This tool is looked after by Sandy.Unhurried. Knows exactly how long it takes.

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