320 pages, 40 read, finish in 28 days
10 pages a day.
Reading goal calculator
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You read today and every day up to and including the target date, the same amount each day. Days off and re-reading are not counted, so build in a spare day or two if you need them.
Count in
I know
Pages a day
10
280 pages left over 28 days, today included. Read 10 a day and you finish by Wednesday, 28 Jan 2026.
- Pages left
- 280
- Reading days
- 28
- Already done
- 12.5%
- A week
- 70 pages
TodayDay 14Day 28
Weekly checkpoints
| End of week | Date | Pages read | Left |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 7 Jan 2026 | 110 | 210 |
| Week 2 | 14 Jan 2026 | 180 | 140 |
| Week 3 | 21 Jan 2026 | 250 | 70 |
| Week 4 | 28 Jan 2026 | 320 | 0 |
Turning a big book into a daily number
A long book or a heavy reading list feels hard because the finish line is far away. Splitting it into a daily target makes it a small, repeatable habit, and you can see at a glance whether you are ahead or behind.
Say a novel has 320 pages, you have read 40 and you want to finish in four weeks. Counting today, that is 28 reading days for 280 pages, so 10 pages a day. The weekly checkpoints table shows where you should be at the end of each week, which is a good moment to adjust.
If you would rather keep a pace you know you can manage, switch to the second mode. At 25 pages a day the same 280 pages take 12 days, so starting on 4 November 2026 you would finish on Sunday, 15 November.
The same idea works for exam preparation. Count chapters instead of pages, set the finish date a few days before the exam to leave time for revision, and check the plan once a week. If chapters vary a lot in length, plan by pages for a more even load.
Sources
What this calculator does not account for
- Assumes the same amount every day.
- Does not estimate reading speed in minutes.
How this is calculated
Formula: Pages a day
pages a day =(total − already read) ÷ days left, rounded upWhat the symbols mean
- totalPages or chapters in the book or list.
- already readWhat you have finished so far.
- days leftToday up to and including the finish date.
Good to know
- Going the other way, days needed = pages left ÷ pages a day, rounded up.
- To count down to an exam, use the exam countdown.
Read the full methodologyFound an error? Contact us
Worked examples
Each example is worked out by the same code as the calculator above.
280 pages left at 25 pages a day from 4 November 2026
12 days, finishing on 15 November 2026.
Embed this calculator
The frame shows the tool only.
<iframe src="/embed/reading-goal-calculator" title="Reading goal" width="100%" height="720" style="border:0;max-width:42rem" loading="lazy"></iframe>Questions
How many pages a day do I need to read to finish a book?
Take the pages left and divide by the days you have, then round up. A 320-page book with 40 pages read and 28 days to go needs 10 pages a day.
How long does it take to read 300 pages?
At 25 pages a day it takes 12 days. At a typical 250 to 300 words a minute and about 275 words a page, 300 pages is roughly 5 to 6 hours of reading.
Does today count as a reading day?
Yes. The tool counts today and every day up to and including the finish date.
Can I plan by chapters instead of pages?
Yes. Switch to chapters. It is handy when chapters are of similar length, such as a textbook or a syllabus.
What if I miss a day?
Update the pages you have read and the tool works out the new daily target. Leaving a spare day before the deadline helps.