Script Length
Estimate how long a script takes to speak, or how many words fit a target length. Everything runs on your device - nothing is ever uploaded.
Slow is 130 words per minute, average 180, fast 220. These are spoken-delivery rates, not silent reading. Narration usually lands between slow and average.
This is a spoken-delivery budget, not a silent-reading count. Demonstrations, pauses, numbers, and emphasis slow delivery, so a recording often needs fewer words than the budget.
Runs entirely on your device - nothing is ever uploaded.
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How to use Script Length
- Paste your script, narration, or speech into the box.
- Read the estimated time at a slow, average, and fast speaking pace, or type your own words per minute.
- Or switch to Words for a time, choose 15, 30, 60, or 90 seconds, and read the word budget.
What it is for
Video scripts, podcasts, and presentations all need to fit a time slot. One mode converts a word count into minutes. The other starts from the slot and tells you how many words to write.
How it works
Speaking time is the word count divided by the pace: about 130 words per minute for a slow, deliberate read, 150 for narration, 180 for an average conversational pace, and 220 for a fast one. Narration usually lands between the slow and average lines. A word budget is that pace multiplied by the speaking time. An optional pause allowance is subtracted first. These rates are for speaking aloud. Silent reading is faster and is not what this estimates. Demonstrations, pauses, numbers, and emphasis slow a spoken delivery, so a recording often needs fewer words than the budget.
Worked examples: 30, 60, and 90 seconds
At a 150 wpm narration pace: a 30-second slot fits 150 × 0.5 = 75 words; 60 seconds fits 150 words; 90 seconds fits 225 words. At a conversational 180 wpm the same slots fit 90, 180, and 270 words. Practical rule: write the 60-second script at 140–150 words, rehearse once, then trim numbers, names, and pauses - most first drafts run 10–15% long. Try the reverse mode: choose "60 seconds" and read the budget before you draft.
Limitations
Word count is split on whitespace, so hyphenated compounds and numbers count as single tokens; heavy ad-libs, audience interaction, music beds, and translation dubbing all break the estimate. Always do one timed read-aloud - if you consistently speak at 160 wpm, type that custom pace instead of using the presets. For written (non-spoken) length targets use Word Counter. For the 30/60/90-second budgets with a planning demo, see the guide How many words fit in a 30-, 60-, or 90-second script.