Article Reading Time
Estimate how long it takes to read an article.
About Article Reading Time
The article's word count divided by a typical reading pace yields minutes and seconds, rounded up for a friendly estimate. Knowing a reading time up front helps readers commit to long-form content and helps writers set expectations honestly.
Formula
Article Reading Time
Reading time = word count / reading speed
- reading speed
- Average adult pace in words per minute
Worked example
With the default values below, Article Reading Time returns Reading Minutes of 3.6. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.
Inputs used
- Word countminimum 1
- 800
- Reading speed (wpm)minimum 1
- 220
Results
- Reading Minutes
- 3.6
- Reading Seconds
- 218.2
- Rounded Minutes
- 4
Step by step
- 1Values used
- 2Article Reading Time
- 3Reading Minutes= 3.6
- 4Reading Seconds= 218.2
- 5Rounded Minutes= 4
Assumptions and limits
- The result is derived only from the 2 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
- In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
- Figures are rounded for display to 1 decimal place, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Article Reading Time calculated?
Reading time = word count / reading speed The article's word count divided by a typical reading pace yields minutes and seconds, rounded up for a friendly estimate.
Why does Article Reading Time matter?
Knowing a reading time up front helps readers commit to long-form content and helps writers set expectations honestly.
What values do I need to enter?
This calculator takes 2 inputs: Word count, Reading speed (wpm). The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.