Most narrators read at about 150–160 words per minute, slower than most people can comfortably follow. Speeding up to 1.25–1.5× is easy to get used to and saves a third of the time on long books. Very high speeds work best for familiar topics.
How to use the Audiobook Speed Calculator
- Audiobook length
- Playback speed
- Listening time per day
- Every result field is editable: type into Listening time and Playback speed plus every other field update to match.
Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.
How it works
Enter the length of the audiobook and your playback speed. Type the time you have available into the result to find the speed you need.
Tips
- Time yourself on a few pages of a typical book to find your real reading speed.
- Small daily habits add up: 20 minutes a day is about 120 hours a year.
- Audiobooks at 1.25–1.5× speed are easy to follow for most listeners.
- Set a target in pages per day rather than books per month – books vary in length.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using speed-reading figures that sacrifice comprehension.
- Comparing books by page count when font and page size differ.
- Planning reading time you do not actually have every day.
Inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Audiobook length | Units: h, min |
| Playback speed | In × |
| Listening time per day | In min |
What each result means
- Listening time = [Audiobook length]÷[Playback speed]
- Listening time (h min) = [Listening time]
- Time saved = [Audiobook length] – [Listening time]
- Days to finish = ceil([Listening time]×60÷[Listening time per day] – 0.000001)
- Effective words per minute = 155×[Playback speed]
Example values
How the main result changes when Playback speed changes and everything else stays at the example values above:
| Playback speed (×) | Listening time (h) |
|---|---|
| 0.75 | 16 |
| 1.13 | 10.67 |
| 1.5 | 8 |
| 1.88 | 6.4 |
| 2.25 | 5.33 |
| 3 | 4 |
Formula
Listening time = book length ÷ playback speedTime saved = book length − listening timeSpeed needed = book length ÷ time availableWorked example
Inputs — Audiobook length: 12 h; Playback speed: 1.5 ×; Listening time per day: 45 min.
Results — Listening time = 8 h; Listening time (h min) = 8 h 0 min; Time saved = 4 h 0 min; Days to finish = 11; Effective words per minute = 233.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a 12-hour audiobook at 1.5×?
8 hours – a saving of 4 hours.
What is a normal narration speed?
About 150–160 words per minute.
Does faster listening hurt comprehension?
Up to about 1.5–1.75× most people understand nearly as well; beyond 2× comprehension drops for many listeners.
What formula does the Audiobook Speed Calculator use?
Listening time = book length ÷ playback speed.