Speech Time Calculator

Paste your script into the script timer, keep the pace on Video script (150 WPM) and read the running time. Then add time for B-roll, intros, pauses and any sections you plan to ad-lib, since those make the finished video longer than the spoken words alone. If the total is too long, cut words until the timer matches your target length.

A 1-minute video script is about 150 words at a conversational pace, or 130 to 165 words depending on how fast you talk. Plan for the lower end, around 130 to 140 words, if the video has pauses, music beats or on-screen graphics. This is the same math as any voiceover script calculator: words per minute times minutes.

For a YouTube Short under 60 seconds, write 130 to 150 words for a full minute, about 110 words for 45 seconds and about 75 words for 30 seconds. Shorts reward a brisk pace, so many creators speak near 160 WPM. Leave a second or two of margin so the video does not clip at the limit.

Yes. Paste your Shorts script, keep the pace near 150 to 160 WPM and check that the time stays under 60 seconds. You can also use the Time to Words tab to enter 30, 45 or 60 seconds and get the word budget to write toward. Leave a second or two of margin so the Short does not clip.

Multiply your target length in seconds by 2.5 to get a word budget at 150 WPM: 30 seconds is about 75 words, 45 seconds is about 110, and 60 seconds is about 150. Write a draft, paste it into the words to minutes calculator, then trim until the time lands a couple of seconds under your target. Keep sentences short, because hooks and quick cuts make spoken Shorts run faster than normal speech.

An 8-minute YouTube video needs about 1,200 words at a conversational 150 WPM. Depending on your pace, the range is roughly 1,040 words at 130 WPM to 1,320 words at 165 WPM. Many creators aim for 8 minutes because it is long enough to qualify for mid-roll ads.

A 10-minute YouTube video is about 1,500 words at 150 words per minute, with a realistic range of 1,300 to 1,650 words. If your video includes lots of B-roll, demos or silent screen recording, you will need fewer words, so write toward 1,200 to 1,400. Paste the draft into the script timer to check before you film.

Yes. The Podcast preset suits conversational shows, Audiobook suits narration, and Ad read works as a voiceover script calculator for ads and explainer videos. You can also check copy against 15, 30 and 60 second limits and rehearse with the built-in teleprompter.

A 5-minute podcast is about 750 words if it is fully scripted at 150 WPM. Unscripted shows run slower because of natural pauses and tangents, so a 5-minute segment usually contains 600 to 700 words. Use the words to minutes converter to check your outline or show notes against your target runtime.

A 15-second TV commercial fits about 35 to 40 words, which is 37 at 150 WPM and 41 at a brisk 165 WPM. Aim for the lower end so there is room for a music bed, a brand sting and a breath between lines. Paste the copy into the script timer and check that it clears the 15-second limit.

A 30-second radio ad holds about 70 to 80 words, roughly 75 at 150 WPM and 82 at 165 WPM. Most professional scripts stay near 70 to 75 words once you account for sound effects, music and the actor's pauses. Spots that fill the clock to the last syllable are hard to perform and often rejected.

A 60-second voiceover script is about 140 to 160 words, using 150 words per minute as the standard and up to 165 for fast ad reads. Writing closer to 140 words gives the voice actor room to act and leaves space for music or a tagline. Run your draft through a voiceover script calculator like this one to confirm it fits.