---
title: "Speech Time Calculator: Words to Minutes for Any Script"
description: "Paste a script to see how long it takes to read aloud. Convert words to minutes at any speaking pace, plan voiceover length, and find how many words fit a 1, 5, or 10 minute speech."
canonical: "https://www.murmurtts.com/tools/speech-time-calculator"
---
[Murmur](https://www.murmurtts.com/)/[Tools](https://www.murmurtts.com/tools)/Speech time calculator

Free tool · no sign-up

# Speech time calculator.*How long will your script take to read?*

Paste a script, pick a speaking pace, and get the read-aloud time instantly. Use it for voiceovers, YouTube videos, podcasts, presentations, and audiobooks.

Most scripts run longer out loud than they look on the page. A useful rule of thumb is about 150 words per minute for narration and 130 for a speech. Paste your own script here to see how long it will take to read, then adjust the pace to match the delivery you want. Short paragraphs, clear sentences, and natural pauses make a voiceover easier to follow.

Speaking time

28 sec

at 150 words per minute, including 1 sec of pauses

**Words**

67

**Characters**

290

**Sentences**

4

**Silent reading**

17 sec

| Slow 110 wpm | 38 sec |
| --- | --- |
| Presentation 130 wpm | 32 sec |
| Narration 150 wpm | 28 sec |
| Conversational 165 wpm | 25 sec |
| Fast 185 wpm | 23 sec |

Need the voiceover, not just the timing?

[Turn it into speech with Murmur · $49 once](https://murmur-licenses.tarunyadav9761.workers.dev/checkout)[Or try a short clip free online](https://www.murmurtts.com/tools/text-to-speech)

Work backwards

## How many words do I need?

Enter the length you need. The word count uses the pace selected above.

**750 words** at 150 words per minute

## Words per minute chart: speech length to word count

A quick reference for planning. Presentation pace suits live talks; narration pace suits voiceovers, audiobooks, and course videos.

| Length | Slow (110 wpm) | Presentation (130 wpm) | Narration (150 wpm) | Fast (185 wpm) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 minute | 110 words | 130 words | 150 words | 185 words |
| 2 minutes | 220 words | 260 words | 300 words | 370 words |
| 3 minutes | 330 words | 390 words | 450 words | 555 words |
| 5 minutes | 550 words | 650 words | 750 words | 925 words |
| 10 minutes | 1,100 words | 1,300 words | 1,500 words | 1,850 words |
| 15 minutes | 1,650 words | 1,950 words | 2,250 words | 2,775 words |
| 20 minutes | 2,200 words | 2,600 words | 3,000 words | 3,700 words |
| 30 minutes | 3,300 words | 3,900 words | 4,500 words | 5,550 words |
| 1 hour | 6,600 words | 7,800 words | 9,000 words | 11,100 words |

## Which speaking pace should you use?

- **Slow, about 110 wpm.** Meditation, instructions, language learners.
- **Presentation, about 130 wpm.** Speeches, talks, wedding toasts.
- **Narration, about 150 wpm.** Audiobooks, courses, YouTube narration.
- **Conversational, about 165 wpm.** Podcasts, vlogs, casual explainers.
- **Fast, about 185 wpm.** Ads, promos, short-form video.

Numbers, dates, URLs, and abbreviations take longer to say than their word count suggests. "2026" is one word on the page but three or four spoken. Read a short section aloud, or generate a test clip, before locking a script to a strict time slot.

## From timed script to finished voiceover

Murmur turns your script into natural speech on your Mac. Adjust the speed to hit your target length, regenerate any line without paying per word, and export WAV or M4A for your editor. Your script never leaves the machine.

[YouTube voiceovers](https://www.murmurtts.com/use-cases/youtube-voiceovers)[Audiobook narration](https://www.murmurtts.com/use-cases/audiobook-narration)[Podcast intros](https://www.murmurtts.com/use-cases/podcast-intros)[Text to speech on Mac](https://www.murmurtts.com/use-cases/text-to-speech-mac)

## Questions

How many words is a 1-minute speech?

About 130 words at a typical presentation pace and about 150 words at a narration pace. Slow, deliberate delivery lands nearer 110 words, while fast ad reads can reach 185 or more.

How many words is a 5-minute speech?

Roughly 650 words at 130 words per minute, or 750 words at 150 words per minute. Leave room for pauses, audience reactions, and slides if you are presenting live.

What is a good words-per-minute rate for a voiceover?

Most narration sits between 140 and 160 words per minute. Audiobooks and e-learning usually stay near 150, explainers and podcasts run a little faster, and ads are often 170 to 190.

How does this calculator estimate speaking time?

It counts the words in your script, divides by the speaking rate you choose, and adds an optional pause for each paragraph break. Numbers, dates, and abbreviations can take longer to say than they look, so treat the result as a close estimate.

Can I generate a voiceover at an exact length?

Yes. Murmur generates speech locally on your Mac and has a speed control, so you can slow down or speed up the read to hit a target length, then export WAV or M4A. It is a one-time $49 purchase with no per-word fees.