Find how long an audiobook takes at any playback speed — and how much time you save.
Speed changes the time, not the content: a 10 hour book at 1.5× still contains every word, played faster.
listening time at your speed
How to use this tool
Type the audiobook's length in hours and minutes, as shown by your audiobook app or store listing.
Choose the speed you listen at, from 0.75× up to 2.5×. Most listeners settle between 1.25× and 1.75×.
The headline is how long the book actually takes at your speed, with the time saved (or added, below 1×) next to it.
The days figure assumes one hour of listening a day — scale it to your own habit to see when you will finish.
Formula & worked example
A 10 hour book at 1.5× takes 600 ÷ 1.5 = 400 minutes, or 6 hours 40 minutes — saving 3 hours 20 minutes against normal speed. At one hour a day, that is 6.7 days instead of 10.
Limitations — read this before you rely on it
This assumes a constant playback speed for the whole book and ignores pauses, rewinds and sleep-timer cut-offs. Some apps also trim silences, which shortens real listening time slightly beyond the speed maths.
Frequently asked questions
Divide the normal length by 1.5. A 10 hour book takes 6 hours 40 minutes at 1.5×, saving 3 hours 20 minutes.
No — speed controls pitch-correct playback of the full recording, so every word is still played. Comprehension is personal, though: many listeners find 1.25× to 1.75× comfortable and faster speeds harder to follow.
There is no single best speed. Start at 1.25×, raise it gradually, and drop back for dense or unfamiliar material. Narrator pace matters too — a slow narrator suits a higher speed.
Divide the adjusted listening time by your daily listening habit. This calculator shows days at one hour a day; if you listen two hours a day, halve that figure.
Most show the remaining time at your current speed, but store listings quote the 1× length. Use this calculator to convert the listed length to your speed.