Script Timer for Podcasts

One Podcast Script Timer, Four Modes for Four Kinds of Shows

Podcasts are not one thing. A solo true crime host works in a different world than a two person comedy podcast. An interview host works in a different world than someone writing a host read sponsor ad. A basic word to time calculator misses all of this.

This podcast script timer has a mode for each type of show. Pick your mode at the top of the tool. The reading speeds, default episode structure, and target lengths all change to fit the way you actually work.

Solo / Narrative Mode for Scripted Podcasters

If you host a true crime podcast, a history show, an explainer series, or any solo narrative show, this mode is for you.

Solo mode uses narration speeds that match how real narrative hosts read in a studio. Narrative pace at 150 words per minute. Storytelling at 145. Educational at 140. True crime at 145 for the slow, deliberate delivery the format calls for. Meditation at 115 for sleep and wellness shows. Fast or snappy at 165 for high energy explainers.

The default episode plan gives you a cold open, an intro, a pre roll ad, a main story block, a mid roll ad, and an outro. You can add, remove, or rename any of these to match your show.

Conversation Mode for Two Hosts, Roundtables, and Talk Shows

If you host a conversational podcast with a co host or a panel, this mode is for you.

Conversation mode uses slower reading speeds because real conversation has handoffs, overlap, and natural pauses. Two hosts pace at 140 words per minute. Solo casual at 150. Roundtable at 135. Banter at 155. Slow and deep conversations at 125 for interview style sit downs.

Because conversation is partly improvised, the tool treats your script or outline as your minimum read time. Your actual episode will almost always run longer than the tool says, because you and your co host will riff on the material. This is the right way to think about it.

Interview Mode for Interview Podcasters

If you host an interview podcast, this mode is for you.

Interview mode times only your host portion, meaning your intro, your questions, and your outro. Guest answers cannot be timed from a script because they are unscripted. What the tool gives you is the total minutes your questions and framing will take, so you can plan the rest of the episode around guest response time.

Interview mode uses host reading speeds tuned for the format. Interview host at 135 words per minute. Quick fire at 160. Thoughtful at 125. Journalistic at 140. Warm and chatty at 145. Formal at 130.

Host Read Ad Mode for Podcast Ad Writers and Producers

If you write host read ads, mid roll sponsor spots, or pre produced podcast ads, this mode is for you.

Host read ad mode is the strictest mode in the tool. Unlike the other three modes, host read ads have real time slots with real money on the line. An advertiser buys a 60 second read and you need to hit it close.

This mode gives you six standard ad slots. Pre roll at 15 seconds. Short read at 30 seconds. Standard at 60 seconds. Long read at 90 seconds. Two minute read. Deep dive at 3 minutes. You can also type a custom length for odd slots.

The reading speeds match how real hosts deliver sponsor copy. Host read at 150 words per minute. Conversational at 140. Story driven at 135 for the long form narrative ads that dominate podcast advertising. Energetic at 165. Premium or slow at 125 for luxury brand reads. Pre produced at 160 for non host ads.

The Features That Make This Different

Feature One: Episode Structure Planner

This is the feature no other free podcast timer has. Most timers give you one big number and call it done. A real podcast has structure. Intro. Ad. Segment. Ad. Segment. Outro.

The episode structure planner lets you build your episode as a stack of segments. Each segment has a name and a target length. You can add as many as you need, rename them to fit your show, and remove any you do not want. The tool sums your planned content and your planned ads to show the total episode length.

When you paste your script into the tool, the planner compares your script run time against your planned content time. You get a clear answer on whether your script fits your planned episode, runs too long, or runs short. For conversational and interview shows, the tool also recognizes that real podcasts run longer than the script, so running short is expected and gets a friendly message instead of a warning.

Feature Two: Section Markers for a Per Section Breakdown

If you prefer to keep your script structure inside the script itself, you can use section markers. Type any of these anywhere in your script:

• [INTRO] for your intro
• [SEGMENT: topic name] for a main segment
• [AD], [PRE ROLL], or [MID ROLL] for ad breaks
• [OUTRO] for your outro
• Or use markdown headers like ## Intro or ## Segment 1

The tool picks up these markers and shows a breakdown card with the estimated run time for each section. Ad sections show in amber. Content sections show in blue. This makes it easy to see where your episode runs long at the section level, not just overall.

Feature Three: Episode Length Sanity Check

For solo, conversation, and interview modes, the tool checks your total run time against the typical length for that podcast format.

Narrative podcasts sit best at 20 to 45 minutes. Conversational podcasts tend to run 30 to 90 minutes. Interview podcasts usually land at 35 to 75 minutes. If your episode fits the sweet spot for your format, you get a green checkmark. If it runs short or long, you get a quick note telling you the typical range so you can decide if you need to adjust.

This is not a rule. Plenty of great podcasts run outside these ranges. Consider it a gut check, not a limit.

Feature Four: Pauses and Breathing Room

Real podcast delivery includes pauses. Thinking pauses. Dramatic pauses. Beat pauses after a punchline. Most timers ignore these.

You can mark pauses right in your script. Type [pause] for a one second pause. Type [beat] for a half second pause. Type [long pause] for a two second pause. Type [3s] or [5s] for any exact pause you need. The tool adds the pause time to your total run time and keeps the markers out of your word count.

What You Get

When you paste a script, the tool shows you four things at once.

1. Run Time. Your total spoken time including any pauses.
2. Words. Your spoken word count.
3. Characters. The total character count in your script.
4. Mode specific fit check. Episode structure fit for solo, conversation, and interview modes. Ad slot fit for host read ad mode.

Below these numbers, you get your section breakdown when you use section markers, the episode sanity check for longer episodes, and the full episode planner showing your planned structure and how your script lines up against it.

Who This Tool Is For

This podcast script timer helps:

• Solo hosts writing scripted narrative podcasts
• True crime, history, and explainer podcasters
• Two host and co hosted shows planning their episode flow
• Interview podcasters prepping host scripts and question lists
• Roundtable and panel podcast hosts
• Podcast ad copywriters writing host read spots
• Podcast agencies and networks writing sponsor reads
• Podcast producers planning episode structure before recording
• Podcast editors estimating episode length before the edit
• Meditation and sleep podcast narrators
• New podcasters figuring out how long their first episode should be
• Experienced hosts planning a show refresh

If you write for a podcast, this tool saves you time.

Free, Fast, and Private

The tool is free. No sign up. No account. No email. No ads inside the tool. Your script never leaves your browser. Nothing is saved. Nothing is shared. Close the tab and your script is gone.