Script length calculator — words to minutes
Paste your script to see how long it takes to read out loud: total time, words, characters and the time of every paragraph, at a slow, normal or fast pace (or your own). Work backwards from a target length, then send the script straight to a talking character that says it with your voice.
Time your script
Reading speed
Reading time
0:00
0 words · 0 characters (no spaces) · 150 wpm
Next step: make a character say it
Your script opens in the teleprompter, ready to record with your voice.
How long is a 500 or 1,000-word script?
Most people read a script aloud at around 130 to 170 words per minute: slower for storytelling, sleep content and tutorials; faster for energetic Shorts. At 150 words per minute, a 150-word script is about 1 minute, 500 words is about 3 minutes 20 seconds, and 1,000 words is about 6 minutes 40 seconds.
Your real speed depends on pauses, emphasis and the language. The best calibration is simple: read one paragraph aloud with a timer, then set the custom speed so the calculator matches you.
Writing for Shorts, TikTok and Reels
YouTube Help says Shorts can be up to 3 minutes long, but most short-form scripts land between 30 and 60 seconds — roughly 80 to 150 words. The calculator flags when you go over a minute and when you go over three.
Short paragraphs make the time-per-paragraph list useful: each line becomes a beat of your video. If one beat is much longer than the others, that's usually where viewers drop off.
From script to video without showing your face
When the length is right, press “Make a character say this”. Your script opens in the talking character studio's teleprompter: pick a host (a skeleton, a stoic statue, a stick figure, a PNGTuber…), read it like karaoke while the browser records your voice, and download the character talking in 16:9, 9:16 or square.
Questions
- How many words is a 1-minute script?
- About 130 to 170 words, depending on how fast you speak. At a normal 150 words per minute, one minute is 150 words.
- How long is a 1,000-word speech?
- At 150 words per minute, about 6 minutes 40 seconds; at 130 it's closer to 7 minutes 40, and at 170 about 5 minutes 50.
- Is my script saved or uploaded?
- No. The calculation happens in your browser. If you send it to a character, it's handed over in your browser too, and only leaves your device if you export a video.
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