Free tool

Voice Over ScriptWord Counter

Paste your script. See how long it runs at three speaking paces, and how many words you're working with. Rates go by word count, so that number is the one that matters.

140wpmSlow. Audiobooks and long narration.
160wpmRegular. Explainers, corporate and e-learning.
180wpmFast. Commercials and promos.
Speaking pace
Running time
0:00
Words
0

Paste a script and the clock starts.

Nothing you paste leaves your browser. The count happens right here on the page.

Quick reference

How many words is a minute?

30 sec
80words
1 min
160words
2 min
320words
5 min
800words
10 min
1,600words
15 min
2,400words
30 min
4,800words
60 min
9,600words

At a regular pace of 160 words a minute, the read most explainers, corporate videos and e-learning modules use. A commercial read runs faster, an audiobook slower, so use the calculator above for the pace your script actually needs.

For voice actors

Read long? Two ways to hit time.

The counter says 2:15. The brief says 2:00. Every voice actor knows that gap, and there are only two honest ways to close it.

Pick up the pace

Learn to land the read

Hitting a 30 second spot on the nose without sounding rushed is a craft: where to breathe, which words to lean on, how to shave seconds and keep the sell. That is exactly what the coaches at Voice Master Academy drill, read after read, until it is second nature.

Fix it in the edit

Trim it to time

Even a great take runs long. Tighten the pauses, take out the breaths, nudge a phrase, and a 2:15 becomes a clean 2:00 with no re-record. Voice Edit Suite is built for exactly that kind of surgery, and it will check your home studio for free while you are there.

Why the count matters

Words in, quote out.

One rate card.

Every voice actor on the roster works to the same published rates, set by word count. No bidding, no haggling, no surprise on the invoice.

Free auditions.

Post the script, hear real reads of it, usually within the hour, and book the voice you like. You've paid nothing until then.

Your pace.

Tell the actor slow, regular or fast when you book, and give them a line of direction. The read comes back the way you heard it in your head.

Questions

Quick answers.

How many words per minute is a voice over?

Around 160 words a minute for an explainer or corporate read. Commercials run faster, about 180, because the copy is tight and the energy is up. Audiobooks and long narration settle in nearer 140 so the listener can stay with the story.

How many words is a 30 second voice over?

About 80 words at a regular pace, or up to 90 for a fast commercial read. If your 30 second spot is 110 words, the actor will have to rush it, so cut the copy rather than the breath.

How many words is a one minute script?

Roughly 160 words. A two minute explainer is about 320 words and a ten minute training module is about 1,600. The quick reference table above runs the whole scale.

Why does the word count matter for my booking?

Voice over rates on The Voice Realm are set by word count, not by studio time, so the number this tool gives you is the number your quote is built on. See the voice over rates page for the card.

Can a voice actor speed up a read without sounding rushed?

Yes, and it is a learned skill rather than a trick. Good pacing comes from breath placement and knowing which words carry the sentence, so the read gets shorter without getting frantic. Voice Master Academy teaches it as part of its coaching, and the calculator above tells you how many seconds you need to find.