How many words is a 1-hour speech?
A 1-hour speech is about 7,800 words at a typical presentation pace of 130 words per minute.
Plan 6,600 words for a slow, deliberate delivery and up to 9,000 for a conversational 150 wpm. A brisk voice-over read at 160 wpm fits about 9,600 words.
Word budget for a 1-hour speech
| Pace | Typical use | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Slow 110 wpm | Ceremonies, eulogies, sermons, dramatic reads, and listeners who are new to the language | 6,600 |
| Presentation 130 wpm | Keynotes, lectures, wedding toasts, and talks with pauses for slides or laughter | 7,800 |
| Conversational 150 wpm | Podcasts, YouTube voice-overs, interviews, and everyday speech | 9,000 |
| Voice-over 160 wpm | Commercial, explainer, and audiobook narration (ACX plans on 9,300 words per finished hour, about 155 wpm) | 9,600 |
| Fast 180 wpm | High-energy ads, sports-style reads, and quick read-alouds | 10,800 |
What a 1-hour speech is good for
- A full lecture or workshop session
- Several audiobook chapters
- A long-form podcast or documentary narration
- A sermon series or training course
Planning tips
- For audiobooks, ACX estimates about 9,300 words per finished hour. Recording and editing usually take several times the finished runtime.
- Split long reads into sections with planned water and rest breaks.
- Your pace drifts over a long session, so measure it at the start and again near the end.
How to divide 7,800 words
A simple structure for a 1-hour speech at 130 wpm. Adjust the proportions to suit your material.
Opening
~1,170 words
9 min · Hook, who you are, and why it matters
Body
~5,460 words
42 min · Three to five sections with recaps between them
Close
~1,170 words
9 min · Recap and one clear next step or call to action
Time your own script
Paste your text for an exact word count, choose a pace, or measure how fast you actually read.
Words for 1 hr at 130 wpm
7,800 words
about 31 pages double-spaced · about 16 pages single-spaced
| Pace | Words |
|---|---|
| Slow 110 wpm | 6,600 |
| Presentation 130 wpm | 7,800 |
| Conversational 150 wpm | 9,000 |
| Voice-over 160 wpm | 9,600 |
| Fast 180 wpm | 10,800 |
Measure your own pace
Paste a script above (Words → time), press Start, read it aloud at your normal delivery, then press Stop. Nothing is recorded; this only times you.
Rehearse it
Open your script in the free teleprompter. It scrolls at the words-per-minute pace you choose and can record an audio take.
Practise a script of a similar length
Free, original scripts with direction and a built-in teleprompter.
Know your word count instead?
Frequently asked questions
How many words is a 1-hour speech?
A 1-hour speech is about 7,800 words at a typical presentation pace of 130 words per minute. Plan 6,600 words for a slow, deliberate delivery and up to 9,000 for a conversational 150 wpm. A brisk voice-over read at 160 wpm fits about 9,600 words.
How many pages is a 1-hour speech?
At 130 wpm (7,800 words), a 1-hour speech is about 31 pages double-spaced or about 16 pages single-spaced.
How fast should I speak for a 1-hour speech?
Aim for a pace you can sustain while staying clear, usually 120 to 150 words per minute for live speeches and around 150 to 170 for voice-over. Time a full read-through and adjust the script rather than rushing.
Estimates by the SceneDub Editorial Team, updated November 7, 2026. Rates: Brysbaert (2019) for reading; ACX for audiobook runtime; other paces are common planning ranges. Open the full calculator and chart.