Reading Time Calculator

Where the reading speeds come from

In 2019 the psychologist Marc Brysbaert reviewed 190 studies with 18,573 participants and found that adults reading English silently average about 238 words per minute for non-fiction and 260 for fiction. Those are the defaults here. Older estimates of 250–300 wpm came from smaller studies and from speed-reading claims that do not hold up when comprehension is tested.

Real readers vary a lot. Unfamiliar or technical material, small screens and reading in a second language all slow people down; skimming for the gist is much faster but leaves gaps. Pick the preset that matches your audience, or enter your own measured speed in Custom wpm.

Images and other content

Many publishing platforms add time for images. Textkiln uses a common convention: 12 seconds for the first image, 11 for the second, and so on down to a minimum of 3 seconds each. Set the number of images to include them.

Code blocks, tables and charts take longer than prose. If your piece is mostly data, treat the estimate as a lower bound.

Showing reading time to readers

A “6 min read” label sets expectations and can reduce bounce from readers who wanted something quicker. Round to whole minutes and be honest: an inflated or deflated estimate erodes trust faster than no label at all.

Good writing is rewriting. The first draft gets the ideas onto the page; the second makes them clear; the third makes them sing.

Most readers skim before they commit. Short paragraphs, specific verbs and a clear opening sentence give them a reason to stay. Long, winding sentences that bury the point in the middle make them leave.

So count your words, but count what they do, too.

Last reviewed 1 November 2026 · How Textkiln tools work