Free tool — speech timing

Speech time calculator

Paste your script and get its spoken length instantly — or set a word count by hand. Timed at slow, conversational, and fast delivery, entirely in your browser.

Paste your script

No script yet — using the manual word count below

1,000 words
Toast (300)Talk (2,000)Keynote (6,000+)
Spoken at a conversational 150 WPM
6m 40s

1,000 words · ≈ 2.0 single-spaced pages

Slow / deliberate — 110 WPM
eulogies, technical material
9m 5s
Conversational — 150 WPM
presentations, podcasts, toasts
6m 40s
Fast / energetic — 190 WPM
radio, high-energy pitches
5m 16s

Delivery paces follow public-speaking convention: ~110 WPM slow, ~150 WPM conversational, ~190 WPM fast. Your script is processed locally and never uploaded.

How to Calculate Speech Time from Word Count

Whether you are preparing a wedding toast, a university presentation, or a keynote address, knowing how long your speech will take is critical. The rule of thumb in public speaking is that most people deliver at a conversational 150 words per minute (WPM), with the full range running roughly:

  • Slow / dramatic speaking: 100 to 120 WPM — ideal for eulogies and highly technical presentations.
  • Average / conversational speaking: 140 to 160 WPM — ideal for podcasts, YouTube videos, and business presentations.
  • Fast / enthusiastic speaking: 180 to 200 WPM — radio broadcasts and high-energy sales pitches.

How long does it take to read 500 words?

At a conversational 150 words per minute, a 500-word script takes about 3 minutes and 20 seconds to deliver. Slow it to 110 WPM and it runs about 4 minutes and 33 seconds.

How long does it take to read 1000 words?

A 1,000-word script takes approximately 6 minutes and 40 seconds at a comfortable conversational pace — or just over 9 minutes delivered slowly.

The Secret to Writing Better Speeches

The biggest mistake novice speakers make is typing their speeches. Written language is stiffer and more formal than spoken language, so a typed speech sounds like an essay read aloud. Professional speakers draft by voice instead: with CoScript, you press a hotkey, speak your thoughts, and clean, formatted text lands directly in your notes. The script comes out exactly the way it will be spoken — natural, conversational, and already timed to your real pace.

CoScript for Windows

Stop typing. Start talking.

CoScript turns your voice into clean, AI-formatted text and pastes it straight into any Windows app at up to 200 words per minute — offline engine, 100+ languages, 30+ writing tones. Free to start.