How is reading time calculated?

Word count divided by reading speed in words per minute (wpm). The average adult reads 200–250 wpm for non-fiction. This tool lets you choose 200, 250 or 300 wpm depending on how technical or accessible your content is.

How long should a blog post be?

1,200–2,000 words (5–8 minutes) is the sweet spot for most SEO-focused blog content. Longer content (2,500–4,000 words) outranks shorter content for competitive topics, but only if the extra length adds genuine depth. Never pad content just to hit a word count.

What reading speed should I use?

250 wpm is the right default for standard editorial content. Use 200 wpm for dense technical documentation, legal text or academic writing. Use 300 wpm for simple, conversational content aimed at a casual audience.

Does reading time affect SEO?

Not directly, but content that keeps readers engaged longer sends positive signals to Google (time on page, low bounce rate). Articles that are long enough to deliver full value on a topic — typically 1,500+ words for competitive keywords — also tend to earn more backlinks.

What is a good Flesch score for a blog post?

60–70 is the standard target for general web audiences. Popular news sites like BBC and CNN typically score 60–65. If you are writing for developers or specialists, 50–60 is acceptable. Below 50 will lose most casual readers.

📖

Reading Time Estimator

Estimate how long it takes to read any piece of text or article. Free, private, instant.

📝 Text Tools Free Browser-based

Tool

Reading speed:

Paste your text

—

Reading time

—

Words

—

Sentences

—

Paragraphs

—

Characters

Flesch Reading Ease —

How Reading Time Is Calculated

Reading time is calculated by dividing total word count by an assumed reading speed in words per minute (wpm). The average adult reads non-fiction at 200–250 wpm — this is the speed used by most publishers, Medium, and content platforms. The actual speed varies: familiar topics read faster, dense technical material reads slower. This tool lets you choose between three speeds (200 / 250 / 300 wpm) to match your expected audience.

Why Reading Time Matters for Content

Displaying estimated reading time on articles and blog posts consistently increases engagement. Research published by Medium found that articles with a 7-minute read time — roughly 1,600 words at 230 wpm — had the highest total time spent. Knowing reading time before publishing helps you:

Set reader expectations — readers who know an article is 8 minutes long are more likely to bookmark it than abandon it partway through.
Match length to format — a product page should be under 2 minutes; a comprehensive guide can be 15 minutes.
Improve SEO — longer average time-on-page signals to Google that users find the content valuable.
Plan email newsletters — most email readers spend 51 seconds on an email. Content longer than 200 words needs a "Read more" link.

Average Reading Time by Content Type

Content type	Typical length	Read time
Social media caption	50–100 words	< 30 sec
News article	500–800 words	2–3 min
SEO blog post	1,200–2,000 words	5–8 min
Long-form guide / pillar page	3,000–5,000 words	12–20 min
White paper / report	5,000–8,000 words	20–32 min
Academic paper	8,000–15,000 words	32–60 min

Flesch Reading Ease Score Reference

The Flesch Reading Ease score is calculated from average sentence length and average syllables per word. A score of 60–70 is the target for general web audiences — clear enough for a 9th-grade reader without being patronising to educated adults. Most popular news sites score 60–65.

Score	Difficulty	Audience
90–100	Very easy	5th grade, children's books
70–89	Easy	6th–7th grade, popular fiction
60–69	Standard	8th–9th grade, general public
50–59	Fairly difficult	10th–12th grade
30–49	Difficult	College level
0–29	Very difficult	Professional / academic

How to Improve Your Readability Score

The two biggest drivers of Flesch score are sentence length and syllable count per word. To improve a low score:

Break any sentence over 25 words into two shorter sentences.
Replace multi-syllable words with simpler synonyms where meaning is the same ("use" instead of "utilise", "start" instead of "commence").
Use active voice — "Google indexes pages" is shorter and clearer than "Pages are indexed by Google."
Convert embedded lists into bullet points — this breaks up long runs of text and implicitly shortens perceived sentence length.
Avoid jargon where your audience may not know it — define technical terms the first time they appear.