Script timer

Script Timer — How Long Will My Script Take to Read?

Writing a script without timing it is how 60-second videos end up 96 seconds long. Spoken pace is predictable, which means script length is plannable: paste your draft, pick your pace, and see the runtime before you press record instead of after.

Script timer — words to minutes

Custom

Words

Characters

0 sec

Est. duration

Runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded — your files never leave your device.

Quick answer

Paste your script above to see its spoken length instantly. At a conversational 150 words per minute, a 60-second short fits about 150 words; energetic short-form delivery at 180 wpm fits about 180. The timer also shows whether your script fits Shorts, Reels, and TikTok length limits.

How to time your script

1
Paste your script
The word count and estimated duration update live as you edit, so you can trim until it fits.
2
Pick your pace
Conversational delivery sits near 150 words per minute. Clear, slow explainers run about 120; energetic short-form delivery pushes 180 or more. Set a custom value if you know your own rate.
3
Check the platform fits
The tool shows whether the runtime fits a classic 60-second Short, a 90-second Reel, and longer formats, before you record.

How many words fit in a 30, 60, or 90 second video?

At 150 words per minute: about 75 words in 30 seconds, 150 words in 60 seconds, and 225 words in 90 seconds. Fast short-form delivery at 180 wpm fits roughly 90, 180, and 270. These are speaking words, on-screen text and pauses are extra, so leave 10 to 15 percent of headroom.

Timing the script is also a pacing tool, not just a limit check. If your hook takes 40 words, that is 15 seconds before the payoff, which is a long time in a feed. Seeing the numbers pushes scripts toward the front-loaded structure short-form rewards.

From timed script to finished video

A tight script still gets slowed down in delivery: pauses between takes, breaths, filler words, restarts. That is normal, record naturally and remove the dead time in the edit rather than performing like a metronome.

This is the half Wavcut automates. Record your script on iPhone, and it cuts the silences and filler words, burns in word-timed captions, and places your b-roll automatically, so the runtime you planned here is the runtime you actually post.

Frequently asked questions

How accurate is a words-per-minute estimate?

Within a few seconds for most people once the pace matches your real delivery. Time one recorded video against its word count to find your personal wpm, then use that as your custom pace.

What reading speed should I use for short-form video?

Short-form skews fast: 160 to 180 wpm is typical for Reels, Shorts, and TikTok delivery. Use 150 for a natural conversational feel and 120 if you are explaining something dense.

How many words is a 60-second script?

About 150 words at a conversational pace, or up to ~180 at an energetic short-form pace. Leave headroom for pauses and on-screen moments.

Does the timer count pauses and b-roll moments?

No, it estimates spoken words only. Add 10 to 15 percent for breathing room, beats, and visual-only moments, or script them as bracketed notes and trim the word budget accordingly.

Is my script stored or uploaded?

No. Everything is computed in your browser as you type. The text never leaves your device.

My recordings always run longer than the estimate. Why?

Filler words, restarts, and pauses stretch real recordings. Cutting them back out by hand is tedious, Wavcut removes silences and filler automatically on iPhone, which usually recovers most of the gap.