# Reading Speed Calculator

URL: https://speedycalculator.com/calculators/everyday-life/reading-speed/
Last updated: 2026-10-25

> The reading speed calculator measures your reading speed in words per minute from a timed reading test, compares it with the average, and estimates the pages per hour and books you could read each year.

## Inputs

- Words read
- Reading time (s, min)
- Words per page
- Reading per day (min)
- Words per book

## Results

- Reading speed
- Compared with average adults
- Pages per hour
- Books per year at this pace

## Formula

```
Words per minute = words read ÷ minutes
Pages per hour = WPM × 60 ÷ words per page
Books per year = daily minutes × WPM × 365.25 ÷ words per book
```

## Explanation

Average adults read English non-fiction at about 238 words per minute and fiction at about 260 (Brysbaert, 2019). Speeds above 400–500 wpm usually involve skimming with lower comprehension. A typical paperback page holds about 250–300 words.

### How to use the Reading Speed Calculator

- **Words read**
- **Reading time**
- **Words per page**
- **Reading per day**
- **Words per book**
- Every result field is editable: type into **Reading speed** and **Reading time** 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

Read for a set time, count the words (lines × average words per line works well), and enter them with your daily reading time.

### 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

FieldWhat to enterWords readA numberReading timeUnits: s, minWords per pageA numberReading per dayIn minWords per bookA number

### What each result means

- **Reading speed** = [Words read]÷([Reading time]÷60)
- **Pages per hour** = [Reading speed]×60÷[Words per page]
- **Books per year at this pace** = [Reading per day]×[Reading speed]×365.25÷[Words per book]

### Example values

How the main result changes when **Reading time** changes and everything else stays at the example values above:

Reading time (s)Reading speed (wpm)150480225320300240375192450160600120

## Worked example

Inputs — Words read: 1,200; Reading time: 300 s; Words per page: 275; Reading per day: 30 min; Words per book: 90,000.

Results — **Reading speed = 240 wpm**; Compared with average adults = Average; Pages per hour = 52; Books per year at this pace = 29.

## FAQ

**What is the average reading speed?**
About 238 wpm for non-fiction and 260 wpm for fiction in silent reading.

**How do I test my reading speed?**
Read for exactly 1–5 minutes, count the words read and divide by the minutes.

**Can I learn to read faster?**
Practice and reducing re-reading help modestly; claims of 1,000+ wpm with full comprehension are not supported by research.

**What formula does the Reading Speed Calculator use?**
Words per minute = words read ÷ minutes.


## Sources

- [Brysbaert, M. (2019) – How many words do we read per minute?](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2019.104047)