Script Timer for Videos
This free video script timer tells you how long your video script will run. Built for YouTube creators, video ad writers, and film screenwriters. Paste your script. Pick your mode. Get the answer in seconds.
Script markers
[b-roll: 5s] or [action: 10s] — silent visual time, adds to total[pause] — 1 second pause · [beat] — 0.5 second beat · [2s] — exact pauseSCENE 1: Kitchen or --- Scene Two --- — splits script into scenes with per-scene timing
Word Frequency
One Video Script Timer, Built for Three Kinds of Video Makers
Most free timers give you one number and call it done. Video is not that simple. A YouTube creator and a film screenwriter work in different worlds. They need different reading speeds, different length targets, and different tools. This video script timer has a mode for each one.
Pick your mode at the top of the tool. The tool changes to fit the way you work.
Creator Mode for YouTube, TikTok, Reels, and Shorts
If you make videos for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or any social platform, this mode is for you.
Creator mode gives you reading speeds that match how real creators talk on camera. YouTube and vlog pace at 150 words per minute. Explainer pace at 140 words per minute. TikTok and Reels at 180 words per minute for fast short form. Documentary voiceover at 130 words per minute for slower pro narration.
Creator mode also gives you platform target lengths. TikTok and Reels aim for 30 seconds. YouTube Shorts cap at 60 seconds. Instagram feed videos work best at 60 seconds. For long form, you get presets for standard YouTube (10 minutes), long form (15 minutes), and podcast length (30 minutes).
Creator mode is the default mode when you open the tool.
Video Ad Mode for Marketers, Agencies, and Ad Writers
If you write video ads for pre roll, social, or paid campaigns, this mode is for you.
Video ad mode gives you voiceover speeds used in real ad production. Social ad voiceover at 170 words per minute. Explainer voiceover at 140 words per minute. Pre roll at 160 words per minute. Premium and luxury brand reads at 130 words per minute for slower, richer delivery. Legal tag at 240 words per minute for the fast legal part at the end of ads.
Video ad mode has the slot lengths you actually buy. Bumper at 6 seconds. Pre roll at 15 seconds. Short ad at 30 seconds. Social ad at 60 seconds. Long ad at 90 seconds. Explainer at 120 seconds.
This mode works the same way a radio spot timer works, but for video. You get a clear answer on whether your script fits the slot, and how many words to add or cut if it does not.
Film and TV Mode for Screenwriters and Filmmakers
If you write screenplays, short films, or TV scenes, this mode is for you.
Film and TV mode uses dialogue speeds that match real on screen delivery. Natural film dialogue at 135 words per minute. Fast dialogue at 160 words per minute. Dramatic slow dialogue at 115 words per minute. Procedural or crime drama at 145 words per minute. Voiceover at 140 words per minute. Comedy and quick delivery at 170 words per minute.
Film and TV mode swaps the character count for a page count. In screenplay format, one page equals about one minute of screen time. This is the industry standard. The tool calculates your estimated page count as you type, so you know where your scene or short film lands in standard format.
The target length presets match real screenplay needs. Short scene at 1 minute. Standard scene at 2 minutes. Long scene at 3 minutes. Teaser or cold open at 90 seconds. Full act at 10 minutes. Short film at 15 minutes.
The Features That Make This Different
No matter which mode you pick, three features make this video script timer better than anything else you can find free online.
Feature One: First Three Seconds Hook Preview
The first three seconds of your video make or break it. On social feeds, viewers swipe away in under three seconds if the hook is weak. This tool highlights the exact words in the first three seconds of your script in a yellow box below your text. You see your hook by itself, so you can test it, rewrite it, and make it stronger.
The hook box updates as you type. If you change the reading speed, the hook word count adjusts too. A faster style pulls in more words as your hook. A slower style uses fewer words. You always see exactly what your viewer will hear in those critical first seconds.
Feature Two: B Roll and Silent Visual Time
Video is not just words. A 3 minute YouTube video might only have 350 spoken words because the rest is B roll, product shots, reaction moments, and on screen text. Most timers ignore this and give you a wrong answer.
This tool handles it. Type [b-roll: 5s] anywhere in your script to add 5 seconds of silent visual time. Type [action: 10s] for 10 seconds of action beats. Type [visual: 3s], [silent: 4s], or [cutaway: 6s] for different types of non speaking time. The tool adds these seconds to your total run time without counting them as words. You get an accurate total that matches what your finished video will actually be.
Feature Three: Scene by Scene Breakdown
Video scripts are rarely one block of text. They are scenes. Or sections. Or chapters.
Add scene markers in your script using the word SCENE followed by a number or name. Examples: SCENE 1: Kitchen, Scene 2: Office, or --- Scene Three ---. When the tool sees scene markers, it shows a breakdown card with the time for each scene next to it. This helps you plan shot lengths, build storyboards, and see where your script runs long or short at the section level.
B roll segments also show up in the breakdown, marked in purple so you can tell them apart from narrated scenes.
Add Pauses Right in Your Script
Video scripts often call for pauses. A moment of silence before the punchline. A beat after a big reveal. A pause for music or sound effects. You can mark these in the script and the tool will count them.
Type [pause] for a one second pause. Type [beat] for a half second pause. Type [long pause] for a two second pause. Type [2s] or [4s] for any exact pause you need. The pause time is added to your total. The markers stay out of your word count.
What You Get
When you paste a script, the tool shows you four things right away.
- Duration. Your total run time with narration, B roll, and pauses combined.
- Words. Your spoken word count.
- Characters or Pages. Character count in Creator and Video Ad modes. Page count in Film and TV mode.
- Fit Check. A clear answer on whether your script fits your target length.
Below these numbers you get a full breakdown of where your run time comes from, your hook preview, and the scene by scene list when you use scene markers.
Who This Tool Is For
This video script timer helps:
- YouTube creators writing vlogs, tutorials, and long form videos
- TikTok, Reels, and Shorts creators timing quick hooks
- Video marketers and agencies writing pre roll, social, and TV ads
- Explainer video writers for brands, products, and startups
- Film screenwriters drafting short films and scenes
- TV writers pacing scenes and acts
- Corporate video teams building training and explainer content
- Voice actors checking pre read timing
- Students learning video writing and screenwriting
If you write scripts that turn into video, 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.