Not sure how long your speech will run? Our free Speech Length Calculator turns your word count into speaking time in seconds. Paste your text or type the number of words, pick your speaking pace, and get the exact duration. Need to work backwards? Enter your time limit and see how many words to write. It works for school presentations, wedding toasts, business pitches, sermons and YouTube scripts, and it needs no signup.
How to Use (show after the tool):
- Paste your speech into the text box, or type your word count directly.
- Choose your speaking pace: slow, average, conversational, fast, or a custom words-per-minute.
- Add extra pause time if you plan to take breaks or show slides.
- Read your speaking time, silent reading time and page count instantly.
- To plan a speech, switch to “Time → Words”, enter your time limit, and see how many words to write.
Quick Reference Table (optional, show after How to Use; based on an average pace of 130 words per minute):
| Speech length | Approx. words |
|---|---|
| 1 minute | 130 |
| 2 minutes | 260 |
| 3 minutes | 390 |
| 5 minutes | 650 |
| 10 minutes | 1,300 |
| 15 minutes | 1,950 |
| 20 minutes | 2,600 |
FAQs:
How many words is a 5 minute speech?
At an average speaking pace of about 130 words per minute, a 5 minute speech is roughly 650 words. If you speak faster, it can be up to about 850 words.
What is the average speaking speed for a speech?
Most public speakers talk at 120–150 words per minute. Presentations are usually slower, around 100–130 words per minute, so the audience can follow.
How long is a 1000 word speech?
A 1,000 word speech takes about 7 to 8 minutes at an average pace, before any pauses or slides.
Does the calculator include pauses?
Yes. Add extra pause time in minutes and it is added to your total speaking time.
Is this speech time calculator free?
Yes, it is completely free to use, with no signup, and your text is never uploaded anywhere.
