Article Read Time & Progress Bar 1.0.3

Article Read Time & Progress Bar is a WordPress plugin that calculates an estimated reading time for each article and displays it in a clear, reader-friendly layout. It helps visitors understand what to expect before they start reading, reducing hesitation and improving on-page flow.

As readers scroll, the plugin also shows a sleek progress bar that visually tracks how far they’ve gone through the content. This live cue makes long posts feel more manageable and encourages continued engagement.

With built-in Paragraph and Block Templates, the read time and progress elements are presented in a polished style that blends with your existing site design, keeping your content presentation consistent across posts and pages.

Main Features

• Estimated reading time calculation — Computes how long it will take to read the current article based on its content.
• Scroll progress bar — Displays a visual progress indicator as the reader moves through the page.
• Paragraph templates — Provides ready-to-use templates for presenting the read time and related elements in paragraph layouts.
• Block templates — Includes block-based templates for consistent placement within WordPress block content.
• Beautiful presentation — Shows the read time and progress elements in an attractive, easy-to-scan format.
• Designed for article content — Tailored for posts and long-form pages where reading time guidance is most useful.
• Seamless WordPress use — Fits naturally into a WordPress workflow for publishing and updating content.

Benefits

• Better reader expectations — Clear read-time estimates help visitors decide faster and start reading with confidence.
• Improved engagement — The progress bar provides ongoing feedback, encouraging users to keep scrolling.
• More time on page — When reading feels predictable and trackable, visitors are more likely to stay longer.
• Enhanced user experience — Clean, template-driven visuals make long content easier to follow.
• Consistent content formatting — Template options help keep reading-time and progress elements aligned with your article design.
• Support for content performance — Stronger engagement signals can contribute to more effective content results over time.

Who is it suitable for?

• Blogs and magazine-style WordPress sites with long-form articles
• News and media publishers focused on time-on-page and reader flow
• Content-heavy websites that publish guides, tutorials, and how-tos
• Agencies managing multiple WordPress client sites
• Online communities and education sites with lesson articles
• Websites using WordPress blocks for consistent page layout