Free tool · no sign-up
How long is your script?
Paste your text and instantly see the word count, character count and spoken duration at five speaking paces. And the other way around: how many words to write to fit 30, 60 or 90 seconds.
Words
0
Characters
0
Duration
—
Duration by pace
How many words for…
| Target length | Slow | Calm | Standard | Lively | Fast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 s | 60 | 69 | 74 | 81 | 90 |
| 1 min 00 | 120 | 138 | 147 | 162 | 180 |
| 1 min 30 | 180 | 207 | 221 | 243 | 270 |
| 2 min 00 | 240 | 276 | 294 | 324 | 360 |
| 3 min 00 | 360 | 414 | 441 | 486 | 540 |
How many words in a minute?
Spoken English runs at roughly 130 to 160 words per minute, or 2.2 to 2.7 words per second. Explainer narration sits around 2.45 words per second: fast enough to hold attention, slow enough for each visual to land.
In practice: about 75 words for 30 seconds, 145 for one minute, 220 for a minute and a half. If your text runs long, cut the intro sentences and the transitions first: those are what people skip.
Why pace matters
A dense topic (a course, a technical concept) doesn’t do well at speed: aim for 2 to 2.3 words per second. A punchy social format can go up to 2.7 or 3. Read your text out loud: if you run out of breath, your sentences are too long.
Everything is calculated in your browser: your text is never sent anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is it?
It’s an estimate based on an average pace. Real duration depends on the voice, the punctuation and the numbers (“1,500” takes more words to say than it looks).
How long should a short be?
Between 45 and 90 seconds for an explainer. Below that, it’s hard to say anything useful; above it, you need a very compelling topic. Read our guide to writing a 60-second script.
Is my text sent to a server?
No, everything is calculated locally in your browser.
What lengths does Motiongist support?
Three formats: short (45–60 s), standard (90–120 s) and long (150–180 s). The price in credits depends on the format: see pricing.
From text to video, in one click
Send your result to the studio: Motiongist turns it into a narrated motion design video, with captions and sound.
Create my video