# Article Read Time Lite – WordPress plugin for displaying total reading time and progress bar

> Article Read Time Lite has 20+ active installs and 127 downloads in the last 30 days. Health score 67/100, keyword rankings, version adoption and the best alternatives.

**Verdict: Solid choice.** Article Read Time Lite is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 20+ sites and was last updated 1 week ago, and scores 67/100 on our health check.

**Calculate and display total reading time/ Calculate and display Characters and Words / Progress Bar**

## Key facts

- **Overall rank:** —
- **Active installs:** 20+
- **Total downloads:** 2,281
- **Downloads (30 days):** 127 (+74% vs previous 30 days)
- **Rating:** No ratings yet
- **Health score:** 67/100 (Good)
- **Version:** 1.0.3
- **Last updated:** Sep 28, 2026
- **Tested up to:** WordPress 7.1.3
- **Requires:** WordPress 5.5+, PHP 7.2+
- **Support resolved:** 0 of 0 threads (last 2 months)
- **Developer:** WP Shuffle (https://pageforge.pro/directory/authors/wpshuffle/)
- **WordPress.org:** https://wordpress.org/plugins/article-read-time-lite/

## Category rankings

| Category | Rank | Plugins |
|---|---|---|
| [characters count](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/characters-count/) | #1 | 1 |
| [progress bar](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/progress-bar/) | #17 | 75 |
| [read time](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/read-time/) | #2 | 17 |
| [reading time](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/reading-time/) | #17 | 61 |
| [word count](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/word-count/) | #12 | 37 |

## WordPress.org search positions

| Keyword | Position | Results |
|---|---|---|
| characters count | #85 | 1,714 |
| progress bar | >100 | 2,219 |
| read time | #35 | 7,649 |
| reading time | #35 | 2,017 |
| word count | >100 | 1,639 |

## Version adoption

- 1.0: 100%

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Article Read Time Lite free?
Yes. Article Read Time Lite is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.

### Is Article Read Time Lite safe to use in 2026?
Article Read Time Lite is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 20+ sites and was last updated 1 week ago, and scores 67/100 on our health check.

### How many websites use Article Read Time Lite?
Article Read Time Lite is active on 20+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 2,281 times since it launched in March 2022. It was downloaded 127 times in the last 30 days.

### Does Article Read Time Lite work with WordPress 7.1?
Yes. The developer has tested Article Read Time Lite up to WordPress 7.1.3, the latest release. It requires WordPress 5.5 or newer.

### What PHP version does Article Read Time Lite need?
Article Read Time Lite requires PHP 7.2 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.

### When was Article Read Time Lite last updated?
The latest version, 1.0.3, was released on September 28, 2026 (1 week ago).

### Who makes Article Read Time Lite?
Article Read Time Lite is developed and maintained by WP Shuffle.


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Source: live WordPress.org data · HTML version: https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/article-read-time-lite/ · Generated 2026-10-07 12:36 UTC by PageForge