Paste your script or type a word count and see the speaking time at every common pace. Working the other way, pick a time limit and see how many words fit.
| Length | Slow110 wpm | Conversational130 wpm | Brisk150 wpm | Fast170 wpm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 minute | 110 | 130 | 150 | 170 |
| 2 minutes | 220 | 260 | 300 | 340 |
| 3 minutes | 330 | 390 | 450 | 510 |
| 5 minutes | 550 | 650 | 750 | 850 |
| 7 minutes | 770 | 910 | 1,050 | 1,190 |
| 10 minutes | 1,100 | 1,300 | 1,500 | 1,700 |
| 15 minutes | 1,650 | 1,950 | 2,250 | 2,550 |
| 20 minutes | 2,200 | 2,600 | 3,000 | 3,400 |
| 30 minutes | 3,300 | 3,900 | 4,500 | 5,100 |
| 45 minutes | 4,950 | 5,850 | 6,750 | 7,650 |
Most people speak between 120 and 160 words a minute in a presentation. A conversational pace of about 130 words a minute suits most talks, 110 feels deliberate and suits complex material or a large hall, and 160 or more starts to feel rushed to an audience. A five-minute speech is roughly 550 to 750 words.
Scripts read silently always feel shorter than they sound. Pauses for emphasis, laughter, slides, and audience responses add time, so the calculator also shows a version with room for pauses. If you have a hard time limit, aim to finish a little under it.
Your pace on the day is usually faster than in rehearsal, especially in the first minute. Record a full run-through to find your true pace, then trim or add material. Stage Coach measures your pace, fillers, and pauses across the whole talk and points to the exact minute where you rushed.
Open calls for speakers, soonest deadline first. No account needed.
A weekly list plus four short welcome notes. Unsubscribe in one click.
Protected by reCAPTCHA. The Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
About 7 to 8 minutes at a conversational 130 words a minute, 9 minutes at a slow 110, and a little over 6 minutes at a fast 160.
About 650 words at a conversational pace, or 550 to 800 words depending on how quickly you speak.
About 1,300 words at 130 words a minute. Leave room for pauses and audience reactions, so a 10-minute slot usually fits 1,150 to 1,250 words of script.
Around 130 to 150 words a minute for most presentations. Slow down for key points, numbers, and the first minute, when the audience is still settling in.
No. The calculator counts words in your browser, and nothing you paste leaves your device.
A fee range, a number to quote, and your walk-away floor for any engagement.
Short, medium, and long bios, a first-person version, a headline, and a host introduction.
A print-ready one-page speaker sheet with your photo, talks, and testimonials, saved as a PDF.