Reading Speed Calculator: Words per Minute and Time to Finish a Book
Measure your reading speed in words per minute from a timed passage, compare it with research averages for silent and oral reading in English or Spanish, and see how long a book will take at your pace.
How it works
WPM = words read ÷ minutes (seconds ÷ 60 added) · book time = book words ÷ WPM · days = book time ÷ minutes per day (rounded up) · effective speed = WPM × comprehension %
Reading speed is the number of words you read divided by the time it took, in minutes. Time a passage whose word count you know, read at your normal pace, and enter the words, minutes and any extra seconds. The comparison uses a large review of reading-rate studies (Brysbaert, 2019): adults reading English silently average about 238 words per minute for non-fiction (most fall between 175 and 300) and 260 for fiction (200 to 320), while reading aloud averages about 183. For Spanish, a meta-analysis of Spanish-speaking students gives averages from first grade to the eleventh, and adult studies average about 278 WPM silently and 191 aloud. A pace within about 25% of the average is labelled average; very high speeds above 600 WPM usually mean skimming. The book estimate divides the book’s word count by your speed, and the optional daily time turns it into days. If you take a comprehension quiz, the effective speed (WPM × score) shows how much you actually took in.
Worked example
Reading 1,000 words in 4 minutes is 1,000 ÷ 4 = 250 WPM, about 5% above the 238-WPM adult average for English non-fiction, so the pace is average. That is 15,000 words an hour, or 60 pages an hour at 250 words a page. A 90,000-word novel takes 90,000 ÷ 250 = 360 minutes, which is 6 h 0 min, or 12 days at 30 minutes a day.
Sources: Brysbaert (2019), How many words do we read per minute? A review and meta-analysis of reading rate · Revista de Psicodidáctica: meta-analysis of reading rate in Spanish-speaking students · Britetodo: Reading time calculator (worked examples) · Omni Calculator: Reading time calculator
Frequently asked questions
What is the average reading speed?
For adults reading English silently, about 238 words per minute for non-fiction and 260 for fiction, with most people between 175 and 300. Reading aloud is slower, about 183 WPM, close to normal speaking speed.
What is a good reading speed?
Anything in the average range with good understanding is fine for most purposes. 300 to 400 WPM is above average; much higher speeds usually trade away comprehension.
How do I test my reading speed?
Pick a passage whose word count you know (a word processor can count it), read it at your usual pace with a stopwatch, then divide the words by the minutes. Repeat with two or three texts and average the results.
Does speed reading work?
Claims of 1,000 WPM or more rely on skimming. There is a trade-off between speed and comprehension: pushing far above your normal rate means missing detail, so for study or careful reading, understanding matters more than speed.
How long does it take to read a book?
Divide the word count by your WPM. A 90,000-word novel takes 6 hours at 250 WPM and about 6 h 18 min at the 238-WPM average.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.