Script length calculator: words to seconds
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At a normal narration pace, English reads at about 150 words a minute: 75 words fill a 30-second Short, 150 fill a minute. Paste your script to see how long it runs in your language and voice speed, and which formats it fits.
Fits 0:30 with 13 words to spare.
Fits on
- YouTube ShortsFits
- Instagram ReelsFits
- TikTokFits
Words for each length
- 0:15 · A hook and one point37 words
- 0:30 · A quick Short75 words
- 0:45 · A short story112 words
- 1:00 · A one-minute explainer150 words
- 1:30 · A longer story225 words
- 3:00 · The Shorts and Reels maximum450 words
Happy with the length? TallyReel reads it in a natural voice and builds the video around it.
Make the video from thisHow to time a script
- Paste the whole script, as it will be read. Leave out stage notes, scene numbers and captions that are not spoken.
- Pick the language it will be read in and the voice speed. Calm suits stories and sleep content; brisk suits facts and lists.
- Check Fits on: Shorts and Reels stop at 3 minutes, TikTok goes to 10.
- Use Words for each length to cut to a target: if you are aiming for 45 seconds, trim until you are under that word count.
Writing to length
Short videos are judged in the first seconds, so spend words on the hook and cut the warm-up. Every sentence should either move the story on or pay off the hook. Pauses add time too: a dramatic beat or a list read slowly can add a few seconds that a word count does not see.
Questions
How many words is a 60-second video?
About 150 words in English at a normal narration pace. A calm read fits closer to 127, a fast one about 195. Pick your language and voice speed above for your number.
How many words is a 30-second Short?
About 75 words in English at a normal pace. Leave a second or two for the hook to land and the ending to breathe.
Why do languages read at different speeds?
Words are longer in some languages than others. German, Turkish and Arabic pack more into one word, so fewer words fit in a minute. The paces here are starting points for a narration voice, so read your script aloud once to check.
How long can a YouTube Short, Reel or TikTok be?
YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels take up to 3 minutes. TikTok takes up to 10 minutes when you record or upload in the app.
Is my script saved anywhere?
No. The count runs in your browser and nothing you paste is sent anywhere, unless you press Make the video from this.
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From an idea to a finished video.
TallyReel writes the script, reads it in a natural voice, adds footage, captions and music, then posts it to every network.