VideoScript Timer

It counts your words and divides by a speaking pace in words per minute. Around 150 words a minute is a natural conversational pace for most people on camera. Short-form creators often talk faster, closer to 170, and calm explainers or voiceovers slow down to around 130.

To find your own pace, read a 150-word paragraph out loud and time it. If it takes 50 seconds, you speak at about 180 words a minute; use the custom slider to match.

At an average pace of 150 words a minute, roughly:

• 15 seconds: about 38 words
• 30 seconds: about 75 words
• 60 seconds: about 150 words
• 90 seconds: about 225 words
• 3 minutes: about 450 words

At the time of writing, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts both allow up to 3 minutes, and TikTok allows much longer uploads. Being allowed to go long doesn't mean you should. What matters is whether people watch to the end, so cut until every line earns its place.

A useful rule: decide the length before you write. A 30-second idea stretched to 60 seconds loses people in the middle, and a 90-second story crammed into 30 feels rushed. Let the idea pick the length, then use the timer to hit it.

Leave a little room for pauses, on-screen moments and B-roll without talking. A script that times out at exactly 60 seconds usually runs longer once it's filmed.

• Open with the payoff or the problem, not "Hey guys".
• Cut filler words: really, just, basically, actually.
• Swap long phrases for short ones: "in order to" becomes "to".
• Say numbers and lists out loud while editing; they take longer than they look.