Reading Time Calculator: Words, Characters, and Minutes
Calculate estimated reading time for articles, emails, and reports. Based on average adult reading speed with adjustments for technical content.
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Tags: text, writing, developer-tools
Reading Time Calculator: Estimate How Long Your Content Takes to Read "5 min read." That small label in the header of a Medium article is more powerful than it looks. It sets expectations, reduces bounce, and helps readers decide whether to start now or save for later. This guide explains how reading time is calculated, why different types of content need different formulas, and how the estimate affects SEO and engagement. --- The Standard Formula Reading time calculators use a simple division: Most general-purpose calculators use 200–250 wpm as the baseline for silent adult reading. Medium uses approximately 265 wpm. Substack uses 200 wpm. Neither is wrong — they are calibrating for their audience's typical reading speed. For a 1,500-word article: At 200 wpm: 7.5 minutes → displayed as…
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