# Script to video length calculator

Canonical URL: https://getvidiyo.app/tools/video-length-calculator
Last updated: 2026-10-08

> TL;DR: Paste your script to get a word count and spoken length at slow (120), normal (150) and fast (180) words per minute, with a check against Reels, Shorts, TikTok and YouTube length limits. Or enter a target length and get a word budget. A 60-second video holds about 150 words at a normal pace.

This calculator turns a script into a spoken length, and a target length into a word budget. It is the quickest way to know, before you record, whether your script fits a 30-second Reel or needs cutting. Everything runs in your browser.

## What does the video length calculator do?

The calculator counts the words you will say and divides by a speaking rate. It shows the result at three paces (slow, normal and fast), checks each against the maximum length on Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, TikTok and YouTube, and marks anything that runs over. You can also enter your own words-per-minute figure.

Switch to **Time to words** to work backwards. Enter 45 seconds and it tells you how many words fit at each pace, and how many to cut from the script you pasted.

## How do I use the calculator?

Paste the script, read the numbers, then adjust the script or the target.

1. Paste the words you will say on camera into **Script**. Leave out stage directions and on-screen text.
2. Read the word count and the three spoken lengths. Normal (150 words per minute) suits most talking-head videos.
3. Check the **Platform fit** table. A red mark shows how far over the limit you are at that pace.
4. For a fixed length, switch to **Time to words**, pick a length such as 30s or 1:00, and trim the script until it shows words to spare.
5. To match your own delivery, read 30 seconds of the script aloud, double the words you got through, and enter that as **Your own pace**.

## What speaking rates and limits does it use?

The rates come from published speech research, and the limits from each platform's help pages where they publish one.

| Setting | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Slow pace | 120 words per minute | Low end of the 120 to 150 conversational range ([VirtualSpeech](https://virtualspeech.com/blog/average-speaking-rate-words-per-minute)) |
| Normal pace | 150 words per minute | Average US English conversation, National Center for Voice and Speech, via [VirtualSpeech](https://virtualspeech.com/blog/average-speaking-rate-words-per-minute) |
| Fast pace | 180 words per minute | Within the 154 to 201 range of popular TED talks ([VirtualSpeech](https://virtualspeech.com/blog/average-speaking-rate-words-per-minute)) |
| YouTube Shorts | 3 minutes | [YouTube Help](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/15424877?hl=en) |
| Instagram Reels | 3 minutes (longer on some accounts) | [Announced January 2025](https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/instagram-head-announces-big-changes-3-minute-reels-and-new-look-for-profile-grid-461527-2025-01-21); longer options per [Buffer](https://buffer.com/resources/instagram-reels-length) |
| TikTok | 10 minutes in the app, 60 minutes uploaded | [Sociality.io](https://sociality.io/blog/tiktok-video-length/) |
| YouTube | 15 minutes until you verify your account | [YouTube Help](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/71673?hl=en) |
| Vidiyo timeline | 5 minutes | Vidiyo product limit |

The fast pace is a choice, not a ceiling. Some creators talk faster than 180, and captions get harder to follow as the pace climbs.

## Why does script length matter?

Script length decides whether your video fits the format before you spend time recording it. A 60-second Reel holds about 150 spoken words at a normal pace, which is shorter than most people expect. Cutting on paper is faster than cutting footage.

Length also shapes the edit. A tight script leaves room for a strong [hook](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/video-hook) in the first line and a pause before the payoff. If you plan a week of short videos, a word budget per video keeps them consistent; see [batching a week of short-form content](https://getvidiyo.app/blog/batch-a-week-of-short-form-content).

## Does Vidiyo estimate length for you?

When it writes the script, yes. Ask the assistant for a script of a given length and it sizes the words to fit, at about 130 to 160 spoken words per minute. Scripts live on Vidiyo's [board and calendar](https://getvidiyo.app/features/content-calendar-and-scheduling), so the plan and the edit sit in one place. For a script you wrote yourself, use this calculator.

For recorded footage, the length is whatever you said. Vidiyo removes confirmed pauses and filler words when you ask, which often brings a long take back under the limit. Timelines max out at 5 minutes, which covers Reels, Shorts and most TikToks.

Interactive tool: open https://getvidiyo.app/tools/video-length-calculator in a browser to use it. It runs on the page and uploads nothing.

## Honest limits

- Estimates only. Your real pace, pauses and edits decide the final length.
- Numbers and symbols count as one word each, even when they take longer to say.
- Platform limits change. We checked them in October 2026.

## Frequently asked questions

### How many words is a 60-second video?

About 150 words at a normal conversational pace of 150 words per minute. Plan on roughly 120 if you speak slowly or pause for visuals, and up to about 180 for fast, energetic delivery.

### How many words per minute do people speak?

Around 150 words per minute in everyday American English conversation, according to the National Center for Voice and Speech, as cited by VirtualSpeech. Comfortable presentation pace runs about 100 to 150, and popular TED talks ranged from 154 to 201.

### How long can an Instagram Reel or YouTube Short be?

YouTube Shorts can be up to three minutes. Instagram raised Reels to three minutes in January 2025, and some accounts now have longer options. TikTok allows 10 minutes recorded in the app and 60 minutes for uploads.

### Why does my video run longer than the estimate?

The estimate counts spoken words only. Pauses, b-roll with no voice, on-screen text that needs reading time and retakes all add length. Time a read-through of 30 seconds to find your own pace, then enter it.

### Does the calculator work for Hindi or other languages?

It counts words in any script, including Devanagari. Speaking rates differ between languages, so set your own pace for the most accurate result.

## Related

- [How to write a video script for a product demo](https://getvidiyo.app/blog/write-a-video-script-for-a-product-demo)
- [How to batch a week of short-form content](https://getvidiyo.app/blog/batch-a-week-of-short-form-content)
- [A content calendar that schedules your videos](https://getvidiyo.app/features/content-calendar-and-scheduling)
- [Video hook](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/video-hook)
- [Retention rate](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/retention-rate)
- [Free tools for video creators](https://getvidiyo.app/tools)

## Sources

- [Average speaking rate and words per minute (VirtualSpeech)](https://virtualspeech.com/blog/average-speaking-rate-words-per-minute) (accessed 2026-10-08)
- [Upload YouTube Shorts (YouTube Help)](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/15424877?hl=en) (accessed 2026-10-08)
- [Upload videos longer than 15 minutes (YouTube Help)](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/71673?hl=en) (accessed 2026-10-08)
- [Instagram head announces 3-minute Reels and a new look for the profile grid (Business Today)](https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/instagram-head-announces-big-changes-3-minute-reels-and-new-look-for-profile-grid-461527-2025-01-21) (accessed 2026-10-08)
- [Instagram Reels length (Buffer)](https://buffer.com/resources/instagram-reels-length) (accessed 2026-10-08)
- [TikTok video length guide (Sociality.io)](https://sociality.io/blog/tiktok-video-length/) (accessed 2026-10-08)

Download Vidiyo for Mac (free during the beta): https://getvidiyo.app/download