Paste a script above and the speaking time shows how long it takes to say out loud, at 183 words a minute unless you change it. That speed is the adult average from a 2019 review of 190 studies. Speakers vary, so time yourself on a paragraph and set the speed to match. Paste only the lines someone will say. Scene headings and directions add words nobody reads aloud.
How to time a script
- Copy the spoken lines of the script, leaving out scene headings, camera notes and speaker names.
- Paste them into the box above, or type the word count if you already have it.
- Read the speaking time. Silent reading is faster, at 238 words a minute, so the reading time will come out shorter.
- If your speaker talks faster or slower than average, change the speaking speed to match.
To find your own speed, read a passage aloud at the pace you'll record at and time it. Divide the words by the minutes and put that number in as the speaking speed.
Scripts for YouTube Shorts
YouTube lets you upload Shorts up to three minutes long through the YouTube app and YouTube Studio. Paste the script and keep the speaking time under three minutes, with room for pauses and shots with no one talking.
That limit is from YouTube Help, read in October 2026.
What the time leaves out
The calculator counts words. It doesn't know about pauses, music, silent shots or cutaways, so a video with those runs longer than the speaking time shows.
It doesn't time a screenplay by pages. It works from the words you paste, so it suits video scripts, voiceovers, speeches and podcast reads.
Nothing you paste leaves your browser, so an unreleased script stays on your machine.
This reading time calculator is free with no signup. SearchBlueprint, who make it, sell SEO planning for websites: which searches each page should answer.