Free screenwriting tool
Screenplay Word Count and Stats
A feature screenplay usually runs 90 to 120 pages, and at roughly a minute a page that page count is what readers check first. Drop your script and this tool counts pages, words, dialogue share, scenes, locations and speaking roles, then shows each one next to the range produced scripts usually land in.
Written and reviewed by ScriptLix Editorial
How to use it
- 1
Drop your script anywhere on the page, or paste it in. PDF, Final Draft, Fountain, Word and text all work.
- 2
Read the tiles. A green dot means you are inside the usual range, a gold dot means you are outside it.
- 3
Scroll to see who talks the most, then copy the numbers or download the cast as a spreadsheet.
What do the numbers look like in a typical feature?
| Stat | Usual range | What pushes it up |
|---|---|---|
| Pages | 90 to 120 | Action, big dramas |
| Scene headings (per 106 pages) | About 75 to 145, around 110 on average | Action, fast cutting |
| Interior scenes | About 45% to 75% | Contained stories |
| Day scenes | About 43% to 73% | Fewer night shoots (horror runs lower) |
What do screenplay word count and stats tell you?
Pages are the number everyone asks about first, because at roughly a minute a page they tell a reader how long the film runs. Words matter more than people think: two 110 page scripts can differ by thousands of words, and the denser one reads slower and plays longer.
Dialogue share is the part of your spoken and action words that is dialogue. There is no right number. Talky dramas and comedies often run above half, action and horror usually sit well below. It is most useful as a mirror: if you think you wrote a lean thriller and the number says otherwise, that is worth knowing.
Scenes, locations, interiors and day scenes are the numbers a producer looks at when they think about cost. More locations and more night exteriors mean a bigger schedule. The typical ranges come from Stephen Follows’ research on produced screenplays.
Why does a screenplay page hold fewer words than a book page?
Screenplay format is built for timing, not density. Courier at 12 point, wide margins, a narrow dialogue column, character names on their own lines and a blank line between every element leave a lot of white space. A page of fast dialogue might carry only a third of the words of a page of dense description.
That is why word count is a poor way to judge length on its own. Two writers can produce the same number of words and end up 30 pages apart. The page count, in proper format, is what readers trust.
How do you convert a word count to screenplay pages?
Divide your words by your words per page. Drop a finished script into the counter and the Words tile shows your own words per page, which is the number that matters. The table below runs the same division at three example densities so you can see the spread.
If you are planning a script that is not written yet, use the table as a range, not a target. Write the pages, format them properly, and let the page count settle the question.
How many speaking roles does a screenplay have?
A speaking role is any character with at least one line of dialogue. The list is sorted by how much each person says, so you can check that your lead actually leads, and spot the minor character who quietly took over act two.
How many screenplay pages is a given word count?
| Words | At 150 words a page | At 200 words a page | At 250 words a page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | 7 pages | 5 pages | 4 pages |
| 2,500 | 17 pages | 13 pages | 10 pages |
| 5,000 | 33 pages | 25 pages | 20 pages |
| 10,000 | 67 pages | 50 pages | 40 pages |
| 15,000 | 100 pages | 75 pages | 60 pages |
| 20,000 | 133 pages | 100 pages | 80 pages |
| 25,000 | 167 pages | 125 pages | 100 pages |
| 30,000 | 200 pages | 150 pages | 120 pages |
This is plain division: words divided by words per page. Dialogue heavy pages hold fewer words and dense action holds more, so drop your script above to see your own words per page, then read across that column. For running time, use the runtime calculator.
Questions writers ask
How many words should a screenplay be?
Nobody judges a script by words. Readers and contests go by pages, usually 90 to 120 for a feature. Words are still useful for comparing two drafts of the same script.
How many pages is 20,000 words in a screenplay?
It depends on how dense your pages are. At 200 words a page it is 100 pages; at 150 words a page it is about 133; at 250 it is 80. Drop your script to get your real words per page.
How many words are on a screenplay page?
It varies with the mix of dialogue and action, so there is no fixed number. The counter shows the words per page of your own script on the Words tile.
How many words is a 90 minute screenplay?
There is no fixed number, because dense action and quick dialogue fill a page very differently. Page count is the standard, so most writers aim for about 90 pages and let the word count follow. Drop your script to see your own.
How many pages should a feature screenplay be?
Most features run 90 to 120 pages. Comedies and horror tend to sit at the shorter end, dramas and action longer. Many contests stop reading past 125 pages.
How many scenes are in a typical movie script?
Around 110 scene headings in a 106 page feature is typical in produced scripts, though anything from roughly 75 to 145 is common. Action runs higher, contained thrillers lower.
Does the word count include the title page?
The total covers everything we read as part of the script. The dialogue share only compares dialogue with action, so a title page or a transition never skews it.
Is my script saved?
No. It is read once to count, then discarded. Nothing is stored and nothing is logged.