Utility
Book Finish Date Calculator
Free book finish date calculator. Enter your pages and reading speed to see when you will finish, milestone dates, and the pages per day you need to hit a deadline.
Days you read
These are example numbers. Replace them with your own.
Enter your pages and reading speed to see your finish date.
I want to finish by a certain date
Fill in the book details, a start date and a finish date.
How a book finish date is calculated
The calculation has three steps. First, subtract the pages you have already read from the total pages. Second, divide the pages left by the pages you read each day, and round up to a whole day. Third, count that many reading days forward from your start date. The calendar date you land on is your finish date.
A worked example
A book has 320 pages and you have read 40. That leaves 280 pages. At 20 pages a day, you need 14 reading days. If you read every day, you finish on day 14. If you read only Monday to Friday and start on a Monday, the same book takes 18 calendar days, because weekends do not count.
Use your reading pace instead
If you do not know your pages per day, switch to the pace option. Enter how many pages you read in an hour and how many minutes you read each day. At 30 pages an hour and 45 minutes a day, you read about 22 pages a day. The calculator also shows how many hours of reading are left in the book.
Work backwards from a deadline
Sometimes the date comes first, such as a book club meeting or an exam. Use the finish by tool near the bottom. Enter the date and the calculator divides the pages left across your reading days. With 280 pages left and 30 days to read, you need about 10 pages a day. At 30 pages an hour, that is roughly 19 minutes.
Milestone dates keep you on track
The table shows the dates you should reach 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent of the book. Check it against the page you are on. If you are behind a milestone, add a few pages to the next sessions rather than waiting until the end to catch up.
Tips for finishing more books
Pick a small daily target you can keep on a busy day, because consistency beats long sessions. Read at the same time each day so it becomes a habit. Keep a spare book or an audiobook for travel. If your pace turns out slower than you guessed, update the numbers and the calculator will fix your finish date straight away.
Frequently asked questions
How do I work out when I will finish a book?
Subtract the pages you have read from the total pages. Divide the pages left by the pages you read each day and round up. That is the number of reading days you need. Count that many reading days forward from your start date.
How many pages per hour does the average reader manage?
It depends on the book. As a rough guide, many readers cover 30 to 60 pages an hour in a novel. Dense or technical books are often slower, around 20 to 30 pages an hour. Time yourself for a few sessions to find your own pace.
Does the start date count as a reading day?
Yes, if that weekday is one of your reading days. The calculator counts the start date as day one, so reading today brings your finish date one day closer.
Can I skip weekends or other days?
Yes. Switch off any weekday in the Days you read buttons. The calculator then only counts the days you picked, so the finish date moves to match your real routine.
Studying from a textbook? Try our study plan spreader to turn deadlines into a daily schedule.
This tool is free with no usage limit, use it as often as you need.