How to time a YouTube script
Most people speak between 130 and 190 words per minute on camera. Explainers usually sit around 150, and Shorts run faster. Divide your word count by your pace and you get a rough runtime, but numbers, acronyms and pauses throw that off. Script Clock counts words the way they're spoken: "$1,250" is timed as "one thousand two hundred and fifty dollars", "2014" as "twenty fourteen", and notes like [B-ROLL] aren't counted at all.
How many words for each video length
| Video length | Calm (130 wpm) | Explainer (150 wpm) | Upbeat (170 wpm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 minute (Short) | 130 | 150 | 170 |
| 3 minutes | 390 | 450 | 510 |
| 5 minutes | 650 | 750 | 850 |
| 8 minutes | 1,040 | 1,200 | 1,360 |
| 10 minutes | 1,300 | 1,500 | 1,700 |
| 15 minutes | 1,950 | 2,250 | 2,550 |
These are spoken words only. B-roll moments where you stop talking add time on top, so mark them with [pause 3s] in your script and Script Clock includes them.
Find your real speaking pace
Everyone's pace is different, and it changes with the style of video. The most accurate way to find yours is to record one voiceover you've already scripted, then upload it under Match my voice. Script Clock measures how fast you actually spoke and uses that pace for every script after. If you record with the built-in teleprompter, a full read-through gives you a Match my pace button that does the same thing.
Check your hook
Viewers decide whether to keep watching very early. The Hook check highlights exactly what someone hears in your first 30 seconds, or first 3 seconds for a Short. If your first spoken word lands late or your opening sentence runs long, it tells you. Read the highlighted part out loud and ask whether it gives viewers a reason to stay.
Build YouTube chapters from your script
Start any line with # and a title, like # Why it works, and Script Clock turns it into a chapter at the right timestamp. YouTube only shows chapters when the first one starts at 0:00, there are at least three, and each lasts at least 10 seconds, so the Chapters panel flags anything that breaks those rules. Copy the list straight into your description.
Read a teleprompter without sounding robotic
Set the prompter to your matched pace, keep the text close to your camera lens, and let punctuation do the work: the prompter holds briefly at commas and full stops, so you breathe where a natural speaker would. If you flub a line, press M or your clicker's back button. The prompter rewinds to the start of the sentence and marks the mistake, so your editor can find it instantly. Want to redo more? Press it again for each extra sentence you want to go back, right up to the start of the paragraph or further.
Under Display, narrow the text column so your eyes travel less, drag the reading line to sit right under your lens, and switch to yellow text if you find it easier to read. Turn on Auto-pause and the script waits whenever you stop talking, so you can ad-lib or take a breath without falling behind. Tap any line to start from there. Using OBS, Zoom or your phone's camera app instead? Press Float in Chrome or Edge and the prompter stays on top of them.
Script Clock is part of Cue & Cut, a set of free tools for YouTubers. Why it exists.