Script length calculator
Paste your script to see how long it runs when spoken out loud, and whether it fits the video you are making.
0 words, 0 paragraph breaks
Estimated runtime
0:00
Add your script to start
Paste a script to compare it with your target.
Measure your own pace
Press start, read the text below out loud the way you would on camera, then press stop. If your own script is in the box above, read that instead.
Most people decide in the first three seconds whether to keep watching. So open with the problem, not your logo. Show the moment your customer feels stuck, then show what changes when they use you. Keep one idea per sentence, read it out loud, and cut every word you stumble on. Short scripts sound confident.
How many words fit at 150 wpm
| Video length | Max words |
|---|---|
| 6 sec | 15 |
| 15 sec | 37 |
| 30 sec | 75 |
| 45 sec | 112 |
| 1 min | 150 |
| 1:30 | 225 |
| 2 min | 300 |
| 3 min | 450 |
How to use it
- Paste your voiceover or on-camera script into the box. It stays in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
- Pick a speaking pace, or open “Measure your own pace” and time yourself reading for a more accurate result.
- Choose the length you are aiming for. The verdict tells you how many words to cut or how much room is left.
How many words per minute is normal?
There is no single right number. Relaxed, conversational speech lands somewhere around 150 words per minute for many people; a careful explainer is slower, a punchy social ad is faster. That is why the calculator offers three presets and a stopwatch: your own pace beats any rule of thumb.
| Video length | Slow and clear (130 wpm) | Conversational (150 wpm) | Brisk (170 wpm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 seconds | 32 words | 37 words | 42 words |
| 30 seconds | 65 words | 75 words | 85 words |
| 1 minute | 130 words | 150 words | 170 words |
| 90 seconds | 195 words | 225 words | 255 words |
A worked example: a 30-second ad
Here is a short script for a local bakery, with one direction for the editor in brackets.
Ever notice the best mornings start with something warm? At Rosewood Bakery, our sourdough comes out of the oven at seven, every single day. [B-ROLL: loaves on the cooling rack] A crust that crackles, a soft open crumb, and nothing in it you can't pronounce. Order online before nine and it's waiting at the counter, still warm. Grab a coffee while you're here. Rosewood Bakery. Bread worth getting up for.
With directions skipped it has 64 spoken words, which at 150 words per minute runs about 0:26. If you forget to skip the bracketed note, the count jumps to 70 words and the estimate to 0:28, a small error that adds up on longer scripts. In a 30-second spot that leaves a few seconds for an opening beat of music and a closing card with the logo, which is exactly what you want.
Common mistakes that make scripts run long
- Numbers and acronyms. “$1,250” is one word on the page and six out loud. Write numbers the way they will be said, or allow extra time.
- No room for the picture. Viewers need a second to read on-screen text or take in a product shot. Aim a little under your target rather than exactly on it.
- Writing for the eye. Long sentences look fine and sound breathless. One idea per sentence is easier to say and easier to edit.
- Timing only the voiceover. Pauses between scenes add up. Use the paragraph pause option to include them.