YouTube Script Timer
Paste your script and set your speaking pace to estimate exactly how long your video will run.
Script Timer counts the words in your script and converts them to an estimated speaking time, so you know how long a video will run before you record. Creators use it to check a draft fits a target length, like keeping a sponsor read under 60 seconds or hitting an 8-minute upload.
How to use the Script Timer
- 1. Paste your full script into the box
- 2. Pick a pace: slow, conversational, or fast (or set your own words-per-minute)
- 3. Read the estimated runtime it returns
- 4. Trim or expand the script and watch the time update
- 5. Copy the final word count and runtime for your shot list
FAQ
It divides your total word count by a speaking rate. The default is around 150 words per minute, the typical conversational pace for YouTube narration. Faster talkers run 160-170 wpm; slower, more deliberate delivery sits near 120-130.
The estimate only covers spoken words. Pauses, B-roll, on-screen demos, retakes, and 'um' moments all add time. Treat the number as a floor for your talking sections, then pad for everything else.
At ~150 wpm, 8 minutes of straight narration is roughly 1,200 words and 10 minutes about 1,500. If you cut to footage often, write less and let the visuals carry time.
Yes. Record yourself reading a paragraph, time it, and divide your word count by the seconds, then multiply by 60 to get your personal wpm. Enter that for estimates that match how you actually talk.
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