How Long Is an Audiobook at 1.5x or 2x Speed?
Divide the normal length by the playback speed. A 10-hour audiobook takes 10 ÷ 1.5 = 6 hours 40 minutes at 1.5x, and 10 ÷ 2 = 5 hours at 2x. Enter any length and speed above, and the table shows every common speed side by side. It works the same way for podcasts, lectures, YouTube videos and voice messages.
How Much Time Does Speeding Up Save?
- 1.25x saves 20% of the time, 12 minutes per hour.
- 1.5x saves a third, 20 minutes per hour.
- 1.75x saves 43%, about 26 minutes per hour.
- 2x saves half, 30 minutes per hour.
The savings shrink as the speed goes up: going from 1x to 1.5x saves 20 minutes per hour, but going from 1.5x to 2x saves only 10 more.
What Speed Should I Listen At?
Most narrators read at around 150 to 160 words per minute, well below how fast most people can follow speech. Many listeners are comfortable at 1.25x to 1.5x after a little practice, and 2x works well for familiar topics. For dense nonfiction, complex plots or accents you are less used to, slower speeds help you keep the details. Try raising the speed by 0.1x at a time over a few days and your ear adapts.
When Will I Finish My Audiobook?
Add how many minutes you listen each day, and how far through the book you already are, to see how many days you have left and the date you will finish. To estimate how long a printed book takes instead, use the reading time calculator.
