Paste any article, blog post, or script and see how long it takes to read. Word count and reading time update live at 200 and 250 words per minute — common speeds for casual and average readers.
Stats update as you type. Reading time is estimated from word count only.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Reading Time Calculator do?
It counts words in your pasted text and estimates how long an average reader needs to finish it at 200 and 250 words per minute.
What is a good words-per-minute reading speed?
200 wpm is a common baseline for online articles and blog posts. 250 wpm is typical for comfortable adult reading. Technical or dense content may read slower in practice.
How are words counted?
Words are split on whitespace — the same approach used by most word processors. Empty lines and extra spaces do not add words.
Is this different from the Word Counter?
The Word Counter shows full text statistics including characters with and without spaces. This tool focuses on reading time at two standard speeds.
Is my text stored or sent anywhere?
No. All counting runs entirely in your browser.
Is this tool free and does it work on mobile?
Yes on both counts. The Reading Time Calculator on draft21 is completely free with no sign-up required and works on all devices.