ScriptfoxHow many words in a 30-minute speech?
A 30-minute speech is about 4,500 words at an average speaking pace of 150 words a minute: around 3,750 words if you speak slowly (125 a minute) and up to 5,250 if you speak fast (175).
Target 30:00 is about 4,500 words at this pace.
Conversational: most YouTube talking heads
Trims or stretches it to about 4,500 words, in your voice. Free, three a day.
ScriptFox scrolls as you speak, so you keep your eyes on the camera. Free, no card.
What fits in 30 minutes
Thirty minutes is about 4,500 words. It is a lecture, a webinar, a training session: material with parts, not a single argument.
Nobody holds a 30-minute script in their head. Break it into named parts of five to seven minutes, each with a sentence that says what it covers, and treat each as its own short talk when you rehearse and when you record.
Words at every pace
Slow is 125 words a minute, average 150, fast 175. This length is marked; the others link to their own pages.
| Length | Slow (125 wpm) | Average (150 wpm) | Fast (175 wpm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 seconds0:30 | 63 | 75 | 88 |
| 1 minute1:00 | 125 | 150 | 175 |
| 2 minutes2:00 | 250 | 300 | 350 |
| 3 minutes3:00 | 375 | 450 | 525 |
| 5 minutes5:00 | 625 | 750 | 875 |
| 8 minutes8:00 | 1,000 | 1,200 | 1,400 |
| 10 minutes10:00 | 1,250 | 1,500 | 1,750 |
| 15 minutes15:00 | 1,875 | 2,250 | 2,625 |
| 20 minutes20:00 | 2,500 | 3,000 | 3,500 |
| 30 minutes30:00 | 3,750 | 4,500 | 5,250 |
Frequently asked questions
How many words is a thirty-minute speech?
About 4,500 words at an average pace of 150 words a minute; about 3,750 spoken slowly and 5,250 spoken fast.
How many words is a thirty-minute lecture?
About 3,600 to 4,000 words, because lectures run slower than conversation: you write on a board, wait for a question, repeat a point. Plan 120 to 130 words a minute.
How do I record a thirty-minute video without memorizing it?
Read it from a teleprompter, in sections. A prompter that follows your voice lets you stop, restart a section and look at the camera throughout; the sections become your chapters afterwards.
Written. Timed. Now read it to the camera.
ScriptFox follows your voice so you never lose your line. Free to try, no card required.