About this tool
A reading time calculator (also called a speech length or speaking time calculator) tells you how long a script takes to say out loud.
Paste your text or type a character count, and the tool divides it by your pace per minute.
The default is 350 characters per minute, which is a comfortable speaking speed for Korean; slow speech is about 300 and fast speech about 400.
You can switch to words per minute for English, where about 130 words a minute is a normal pace. For example, a 1,750-character script at 350 characters per minute takes exactly 5 minutes.
How long does a 5-minute speech need to be? Roughly 1,500 to 2,000 characters. Is silent reading faster than speaking? Yes, usually around 500 characters a minute.
Remember that pauses, slides, jokes and questions add time, so leave a margin of 10 to 20 percent. The tool also shows a slower and faster range.
Use it together with the Korean Character Counter and the Online Timer when you rehearse. Your text stays in your browser and is never uploaded.
How to use
- Paste your script, or type a character count if you only know the length.
- Pick a pace such as slow, normal or fast, or type your own per-minute number.
- Read the estimated time and the slower and faster range.
- Rehearse with the Online Timer and trim the script if it runs long.