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readable?
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Frequently asked
What is a good CPS for subtitles?+
Most professional broadcasters cap reading speed at 15–17 characters per second (CPS) for adult content. Netflix uses 17, the BBC uses 15. Children's content typically caps at 12. Short-form social video can go higher (around 20) because viewers expect a faster pace and can re-read.
What's the difference between CPS and WPM?+
CPS (characters per second) and WPM (words per minute) measure the same thing — how fast the viewer must read — but at different granularities. CPS is more reliable across languages because word lengths vary. Most subtitle standards specify CPS first, with WPM as a sanity check.
Why do some cues exceed the limit even though they look short?+
Reading speed is characters divided by duration. A 10-character line shown for 0.4 seconds is 25 CPS — too fast. The fix is usually to extend the cue's end time, not to shorten the text.
How do I fix lines that read too fast?+
You have three options: (1) split the line into two consecutive cues, (2) extend the duration, or (3) trim filler words. Splitting is best for spoken-word content where each phrase has natural pauses.
Are spaces counted in CPS?+
Yes — every visible character including spaces counts. This matches Netflix and BBC convention. Newlines inside a cue are not counted.