LESS GUESSWORK. BETTER SCRIPTS.
Will your script fit? Paste your words. Find your timing.
Paste your script to see the estimated speaking time.
Private by design. Your script is never uploaded or saved by this site.
A LITTLE PLANNING. A BETTER TAKE.
It turns your script’s word count into an estimated speaking time. Pick a video length and a speaking pace to see whether your words fit—and how much to trim or add before you hit record.
WPM means words per minute. Divide your word count by your WPM, then multiply by 60 to estimate the time in seconds.
A 173-word script at 150 WPM takes 69.2 seconds. For a 60-second video, aim for 150 words and trim approximately 23. Times and word goals are rounded for a quick estimate.
The same 150-word script can run from 50 to 75 seconds. Use a pace that suits the message.
A test recording gives you a better personal WPM than any preset.
At 120–180 WPM, plan for 60–90 words. The 150 WPM starting point gives you 75 words: enough for a hook, one idea, and a short next step.
At the same speeds, aim for 120–180 words. Start near 150, then leave room for breaths, transitions, and anything you want to show without talking.
| Video length | 120 WPM | 150 WPM | 180 WPM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 seconds | 30 | 38 | 45 |
| 30 seconds | 60 | 75 | 90 |
| 60 seconds | 120 | 150 | 180 |
| 90 seconds | 180 | 225 | 270 |
| 3 minutes | 360 | 450 | 540 |
| 5 minutes | 600 | 750 | 900 |
| 10 minutes | 1,200 | 1,500 | 1,800 |
Approximate words, rounded to the nearest whole word. Pauses add time.
For YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Reels, give every sentence a job.
Open with the problem, payoff, or question. Skip the greeting if it delays the reason to keep watching.
Keep one main message. Replace a long explanation with a specific example or something you can show.
End with one clear next step. Budget for it early so the final line doesn’t become a rushed afterthought.
BEFORE YOU HIT RECORD
Practical answers for planning your next script.
At 150 words per minute, 100 words takes about 40 seconds. At 120 WPM, it takes 50 seconds; at 180 WPM, about 33 seconds. Pauses, unfamiliar words, and emphasis can make the recording longer.
Allow roughly 60–90 spoken words at 120–180 WPM. At the default 150 WPM, the target is 75 words. Use fewer if your video needs visual beats, a product demonstration, or a pause before the call to action.
A 60-second script has room for roughly 120–180 words at 120–180 WPM. Start with 150 words for a conversational delivery, then time one read aloud and cut anything that makes you rush.
150 WPM is a useful starting point for planning a conversational voiceover. Your own pace is more useful than a fixed average: read a sample aloud for one minute, count the words you spoke, and enter that number as your custom WPM.
Choose the length you want first. At 150 WPM, a 15-second Short has room for about 38 words, a 30-second Short about 75, and a 60-second Short about 150. Trim below that target when you need time for a reveal, captions, or a visual demonstration.
Yes. Paste only the words that will be spoken and choose a pace close to your narrator’s delivery. Remove scene notes, timestamps, and speaker labels, since the calculator counts those as words too. Music, silence, and on-screen action need their own time allowance.