Script length calculator
Last updated
A 30-second script is about 75 to 98 words, a 45-second script about 112 to 147, and a 60-second script about 150 to 196, at 150 to 196 words a minute. Paste a script below to see its read time at three speeds, how it fits each app's length limit, and your hook's word budget.
Each app's length limit, at normal (183 wpm)
- YouTube ShortsUp to 3 minutes, for uploads on or after October 15, 2024
- TikTokNo published limit for posts; In-Feed ads run up to 10 minutes
- Instagram ReelsUp to 20 minutes; reels over 3 minutes aren't recommended to new audiences
- Facebook ReelsAt least 3 seconds, with no maximum
Hook budget: 3 words in the first second, 6 in two, 9 in three.
How many words is a 30, 45 or 60 second script?
About 75 to 98 words for 30 seconds, 112 to 147 for 45 and 150 to 196 for 60. The low number is a slow read at 150 words a minute, the high one a fast read at 196. At a normal read of 183, that is 91, 137 and 183 words.
| Length | Slow (150 wpm) | Normal (183 wpm) | Fast (196 wpm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 seconds | 37 | 45 | 49 |
| 30 seconds | 75 | 91 | 98 |
| 45 seconds | 112 | 137 | 147 |
| 60 seconds | 150 | 183 | 196 |
| 90 seconds | 225 | 274 | 294 |
How long does a script take to read aloud?
Divide the word count by the speaking rate. 100 words take 40 seconds at 150 words a minute, 33 at 183 and 31 at 196.
Which speaking rate should I use?
Normal (183) for a script read aloud, slow (150) for a calm voiceover, and fast (196) for an edited talking head, where jump cuts take out the pauses.
- Slow, 150 words a minute: the average rate of speech for US English speakers (National Center for Voice and Speech).
- Normal, 183 words a minute: the average rate for reading aloud in English, across 77 studies (Brysbaert (2019)).
- Fast, 196 words a minute: the overall rate in 2,438 recorded English phone conversations (Yuan, Liberman and Cieri (Interspeech 2006)).
How long can a YouTube Short, TikTok or Reel be?
YouTube Shorts: up to 3 minutes, for uploads on or after October 15, 2024. TikTok: no published limit for posts; In-Feed ads run up to 10 minutes. Instagram Reels: up to 20 minutes; reels over 3 minutes aren't recommended to new audiences. Facebook Reels: at least 3 seconds, with no maximum.
- YouTube Shorts: Up to 3 minutes, for uploads on or after October 15, 2024 (YouTube Help).
- TikTok: No published limit for posts; In-Feed ads run up to 10 minutes (TikTok Business Help).
- Instagram Reels: Up to 20 minutes; reels over 3 minutes aren't recommended to new audiences (Instagram Help).
- Facebook Reels: At least 3 seconds, with no maximum (Meta for Creators).
How many words fit in the hook?
About 2 to 3 words a second: 7 to 9 words in the first 3 seconds. TikTok's ad guidance says to introduce the proposition in the first 3 seconds, so name the topic there.
| Length | Slow (150 wpm) | Normal (183 wpm) | Fast (196 wpm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| First second | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| First 2 seconds | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| First 3 seconds | 7 | 9 | 9 |
Is my script sent anywhere?
No. The count runs in your browser. Nothing is sent or kept.
Sources
- National Center for Voice and Speech: Voice qualities (voice production tutorial)Checked October 29, 2026
- Brysbaert (2019): How many words do we read per minute?, Journal of Memory and LanguageChecked October 29, 2026
- Yuan, Liberman and Cieri (Interspeech 2006): Towards an integrated understanding of speaking rate in conversationChecked October 29, 2026
- YouTube Help: Understand three-minute YouTube ShortsChecked October 18, 2026
- TikTok Business Help: TikTok In-Feed video ad specifications (updated June 2026)Checked October 18, 2026
- Instagram Help: Record a reel on Instagram (iPhone)Checked October 18, 2026
- Meta for Creators: ReelsChecked October 18, 2026
- TikTok Ads Help: Creative best practices for performance ads (updated June 2025)Checked October 18, 2026