Education
Reading Speed Calculator
Test your reading speed in words per minute (WPM) with comprehension questions, or estimate how long it will take to read any text, book, or article.
Comprehension Check
Default: 238 WPM (average adult). Take the speed test above to get your actual speed.
How is this calculated?
WPM = Word Count ÷ Time (minutes)
Adjusted WPM = WPM × Comprehension Accuracy
Time to Read = Word Count ÷ Reading Speed (WPM)
Percentile benchmarks:
Bottom 25%: below 150 WPM
Average: 200–250 WPM
Above average: 250–350 WPM
Fast: 350–500 WPM
Speed reader: 500+ WPMFAQ
Frequently asked questions about reading speed
What is a good reading speed?
Average adult reading speed is 200–250 WPM. 300–400 WPM is above average and indicates strong reading skills. 400–700 WPM is speed reading territory. Most people can improve by 50–100 WPM with focused practice.
How do I increase my reading speed?
Practice techniques: reduce subvocalization (internal voice), use a pointer/finger to guide eyes, expand peripheral vision to take in more words per fixation, practice chunking (reading groups of words), and read widely to build vocabulary recognition.
What is the average reading speed?
Average adult: 200–250 WPM. College student: 250–300 WPM. High school student: 200–250 WPM. Speed readers: 400–700 WPM. World record (with comprehension): 4,700 WPM. Technical material is typically read at 100–150 WPM.
How long does it take to read 100 pages?
At average speed (250 WPM) with ~250 words per page, 100 pages takes about 1 hour 40 minutes. For a fast reader (400 WPM): ~1 hour. For technical material (150 WPM): ~2 hours 45 minutes. This varies by font size and page layout.
What is speed reading?
Speed reading is a collection of techniques to increase reading speed while maintaining comprehension. Key methods include skimming, chunking, minimizing regression (re-reading), reducing fixation time, and using peripheral vision. Average speed readers reach 400–700 WPM.