Free screenwriting tool
Script Timer: How Long Will Your Script Run?
Paste any script, a YouTube or TikTok voiceover, a speech, a podcast read or a screenplay scene, and this script timer tells you how long it takes to read aloud. Choose a slow, normal or fast pace, or screenplay mode at about a page a minute, and see the time for every paragraph.
Written and reviewed by ScriptLix Editorial
In short
A script read aloud runs about 150 words a minute at a normal pace, 130 slow and 170 fast, so 300 words is roughly two minutes. Paste your script here to get the total time and the time of every paragraph, or switch to screenplay mode for about a page a minute.
- Read aloud time
- 0 sec
- Words
- 0
- Paragraphs
- 0
Have a finished screenplay file? The screenplay runtime calculator reads the real page count.
How to use it
- 1
Pick a pace: slow, normal, fast, or screenplay for script pages.
- 2
Paste your script. Leave a blank line between paragraphs.
- 3
Read the total time, then trim the paragraphs that run long.
How long does it take to read a script aloud?
| Words | Slow (130 a minute) | Normal (150 a minute) | Fast (170 a minute) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 | 1 min 9 sec | 1 min | 53 sec |
| 300 | 2 min 18 sec | 2 min | 1 min 46 sec |
| 750 | 5 min 46 sec | 5 min | 4 min 25 sec |
| 1,500 | 11 min 32 sec | 10 min | 8 min 49 sec |
| 3,000 | 23 min 5 sec | 20 min | 17 min 39 sec |
How is the read time worked out?
Words divided by words a minute. The three paces are common rules of thumb for speaking out loud: around 130 a minute for a careful read, 150 for a natural one and 170 for a quick one. Your own pace may be different, so time yourself reading one paragraph and pick the closest.
Pauses, music and on screen action are not counted. If your video cuts to footage between lines, add that time on top.
What does screenplay mode do?
A screenplay is timed by pages, not words. In screenplay mode the timer lays your text out the way a script page would, with scene headings, action and dialogue taking the lines they really take, and counts about one minute per page. For a finished script file, the screenplay runtime calculator reads the exact page count.
Questions writers ask
How many words is a 1 minute script?
About 150 words at a normal speaking pace, 130 if you read slowly and 170 if you read fast.
How long is a 5 minute speech?
Around 650 to 850 words, depending on how fast you speak. 750 is a safe middle.
How long does one screenplay page take on screen?
About a minute. Dialogue heavy pages often play faster and action heavy pages slower, but it evens out over a script.
Is my script saved anywhere?
No. The timer runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.