Script and voice-over timer
Paste your text and you know how long it runs when read out. Give a target duration and you know how many words to write. No more re-recording a voice-over that ran long.
150 words per minute is an ordinary YouTube pace in English. A measured voice-over drops to 120, a fast-cut video climbs to 180.
Pace depends on the language and on you
The presets are landmarks: 120 words per minute for measured narration, 150 for an ordinary YouTube video, 180 for a fast rhythm. French runs slightly slower than English for the same content — it takes more words to say the same thing, and the words are longer. The best setting is your own: record one minute of your voice, count the words, type the result in the field.
The calculation ignores pauses. A three-minute script with ten one-second breaths runs three minutes ten. Leave 5 to 10% of headroom when the duration is fixed.
Why this matters before you record
Knowing a script runs 2 min 40 before you step up to the mic saves the rewrite afterwards. For short formats — a 60-second Short, a 30-second spot — the word ceiling is the most useful constraint to know from the first line.
Frequently asked questions
How is a word counted?
Any group of characters separated by a space that contains at least one letter or digit. "It's" counts as one word, "—" as zero. Same convention as word processor counters.
What pace should I use in English?
150 words per minute is a good starting point for an ordinary talking-head video. For documentary narration, drop to 120-130. For short, punchy content, 170-180. Measure your own once: five minutes well spent.
Are pauses counted?
No. The calculation assumes continuous reading. Add your breaths mentally, or keep 10% of headroom on fixed-length formats.
Is my text sent anywhere?
No. It stays in the page, nothing is transmitted. You can paste a client script without worrying.
Does it work for a teleprompter?
Yes, that's the right use: set the pace you actually read at, and the counter tells you whether your text fits the slot.
What about a synthetic voice?
Same principle, but measure the real pace of the voice you picked first: they vary a lot, between 130 and 190 words per minute depending on the speed setting.