Script timer: how long will your script take to say?
Paste your script. See the spoken time at your pace, and whether it fits a Reel, TikTok or Short. Then practice it with delivery cues.
Spoken time
0:00
- 15 s Story / Short~35 words
- 30 s Reel / TikTok~70 words
- 60 s Short / Reel~140 words
- 90 s Reel~210 words
- 3 min TikTok~420 words
Opens the free teleprompter with your script loaded. No signup.
Words to minutes: quick table
Rough word counts for common video lengths, before pauses. A pause adds time but no words, so a script with many pauses needs fewer words. More on this in how long is a 60-second script.
| Video length | Slow (120 wpm) | Normal (140 wpm) | Fast (160 wpm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 seconds | 30 words | 35 words | 40 words |
| 30 seconds | 60 words | 70 words | 80 words |
| 1 minute | 120 words | 140 words | 160 words |
| 90 seconds | 180 words | 210 words | 240 words |
| 3 minutes | 360 words | 420 words | 480 words |
Where do the pace numbers come from?
Conversational speech is often quoted at about 120 to 150 words per minute (VirtualSpeech). The timer uses 120, 140 and 160 as slow, normal and fast. These are planning numbers, not rules. Your own pace can be faster or slower. The best number is your own: read the script once with a stopwatch, then set it in Custom. See speaking pace for video for more.
Too long? Cut, don't speed up
If the timer says “cut 20 words”, cut them. Talking faster to fit makes you skip the pauses that make a line land. Start with the throat-clearing first line, then any sentence that repeats the one before it.
How many words is a 60-second script?
About 140 words at a normal pace of 140 words per minute. Plan for 120 words if you speak slowly or use many pauses, and up to 160 if you talk fast.
How does the script timer work?
It counts the words in your script and divides by your speaking pace in words per minute. If you keep pauses on, it adds 0.4 seconds for each sentence end or line break.
What pace should I pick?
Normal (140 words per minute) is a good start for most talking-head videos. Read your script out loud once with a stopwatch, then use Custom to set your own pace.
Is my script saved or uploaded?
No. The timer runs in your browser. If you click the practice button, the script is stored in your browser so the teleprompter can open with it.
Know the length. Now nail the delivery.
Open your script in the teleprompter. It marks where to go louder, pause and land the word, and checks you while you record.
Open the teleprompter