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Subtitle Reading Speed Calculator

Work out subtitle reading speed instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Subtitle Reading Speed Calculator

Subtitle standards cap reading speed in characters per second - typically 17 for adult content and 13 for children's. Sixty-eight characters in 3.5 seconds is 19.4 cps, above the limit, so the cue needs at least 4 seconds. The equivalent reading rate of about 212 words a minute is near the upper limit of comfortable subtitle reading.

Formulas

Reading speed

cps = characters / seconds on screen

Minimum duration

seconds = characters / maximum cps

Worked example

With the default values below, Subtitle Reading Speed Calculator returns Reading Speed of 19.43. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Characters in the subtitleminimum 1
68
Time on screenminimum 0.1 s
3.5 s
Maximum characters per second allowedminimum 1 cps
17 cps

Results

Reading Speed
19.43 cps
Minimum Duration For This Text
4.00 s
Equivalent Reading Rate
212 words/min
Compliance Check
Too fast - extend the duration or shorten the text

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Reading speed
  3. 3Minimum duration
  4. 4Reading Speed= 19.43 cps
  5. 5Minimum Duration For This Text= 4.00 s
  6. 6Equivalent Reading Rate= 212 words/min
  7. 7Compliance Check= Too fast - extend the duration or shorten the text

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 3 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 2 decimal places, 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

Why 17 characters per second?

It reflects the reading speed most adult viewers manage while also watching the picture. Netflix uses 17 for adults and 13 for children.

What is the minimum cue duration?

Usually 5/6 of a second, because shorter cues flash too briefly to be read even if the character count is small.

Related Calculators

Subtitle Reading Speed Calculator – Calculate Reading Speed