Speaking Time Estimator
Find out how long your speech or presentation will take to deliver.
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This tool estimates how long it will take to deliver a speech or presentation, based on word count and speaking pace.
Paste your script or enter a word count, pick a pace that matches your delivery style, and get an estimate. Useful for checking whether your talk fits a 10-minute slot, trimming a conference presentation, or making sure a toast doesn't overstay its welcome.
How we work it out
We divide the word count by the words-per-minute rate for the pace you selected. "Conversational" at 130 wpm is a good starting point for most talks. The "Slow" setting suits deliberate keynote delivery; "Fast" covers presentations where you're rushing to fit a tight slot.
Speaking time by word count
| Words | Slow (100 wpm) | Conversational (130 wpm) | Presenting (150 wpm) | Fast (180 wpm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 1 min | Under a minute | Under a minute | Under a minute |
| 250 | 2 min 30 sec | 1 min 55 sec | 1 min 40 sec | 1 min 23 sec |
| 500 | 5 min | 3 min 51 sec | 3 min 20 sec | 2 min 47 sec |
| 750 | 7 min 30 sec | 5 min 46 sec | 5 min | 4 min 10 sec |
| 1,000 | 10 min | 7 min 42 sec | 6 min 40 sec | 5 min 33 sec |
| 1,500 | 15 min | 11 min 32 sec | 10 min | 8 min 20 sec |
| 2,000 | 20 min | 15 min 23 sec | 13 min 20 sec | 11 min 7 sec |
| 3,000 | 30 min | 23 min 5 sec | 20 min | 16 min 40 sec |
Time to say the words out loud, not counting pauses, slides or questions.
Common mistakes
- Reading it aloud once at home and trusting that. Nerves usually make people speed up.
- Not leaving time for pauses, slides and questions.
- Using a fast pace for a talk with hard ideas in it.
Questions
Should I include slide headings and bullet points?
Only include words you plan to actually say. If your slides have bullet points that you'll read out, include them. If they're just cues for talking points, leave them out and estimate those portions separately.
Does this account for pauses and questions?
No. The estimate covers delivery of the words only. Add time separately for Q&A, transitions, demos, and anything else that isn't scripted speech.
What pace should I use for a job interview or pitch?
Conversational or Presenting are both reasonable. Most coached delivery advice targets around 120 to 150 wpm, so either of those settings will give you a realistic number.
How is the speaking time worked out?
The number of words is divided by your speaking pace in words per minute: 100 for slow, 130 for conversational, 150 for presenting and 180 for fast.
Presentation prepped. Now do something mindless.