The Speech Time Calculator estimates how long a talk, presentation, sermon or video script will take to deliver aloud. Paste your text and it counts the words for you, then converts that to a speaking time at your chosen pace.
The formula
Speaking time is simply the word count divided by your pace in words per minute:
minutes = words ÷ words-per-minute
So 900 words at 150 words per minute takes 900 ÷ 150 = 6 minutes.
Choosing a pace
Delivery speed varies a lot between speakers and material. The presets reflect the commonly-taught ranges:
| Pace | Words per minute | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Slow / deliberate | 110 | Emotional, weighty or technical content |
| Conversational | 130 | Podcasts, narration, natural talks |
| Average public speaking | 150 | Most presentations and keynotes |
| Fast | 170 | Energetic, high-tempo delivery |
You can also type an exact figure if you have timed yourself reading a passage.
Planning to a time limit
Working backwards is easy: multiply your target minutes by your pace. A 10-minute conference slot at 150 wpm means aiming for about 1500 words — then leave a margin for pauses, applause and any demo. The table the tool prints at every preset pace lets you see how much slowing down or speeding up moves your timing.