Idara Reading Time
Show estimated reading time with an optional scroll progress bar. A lightweight, FSE-ready Gutenberg block that loads only where used.
Use with caution
Idara Reading Time works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. Was last updated 2 months ago, and scores 60/100 on our health check.
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Small user base (<10 active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Idara Reading Time stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| blog | >100 |
| fse | >100 |
| Gutenberg block | >100 |
| progress bar | >100 |
| reading time | #86 |
About Idara Reading Time
From the official readme · v1.0.1Description
Idara Reading Time is a focused, single-purpose Gutenberg block that does one thing well: shows readers how long your post will take. It also offers an optional scroll progress bar — a thin bar pinned to the top or bottom of the page that fills as the visitor scrolls.
Idara (إدارة) is an Arabic word meaning “studio” or “administration” — the brand behind a growing family of carefully crafted, single-purpose Gutenberg blocks.
Why this and not a full block suite?
Most block plugins ship 30+ blocks you’ll never use, slowing your editor and your frontend. Idara plugins are deliberately small. This one is under 25 KB. CSS and JS load only on pages where the block is present — never globally.
Features
- Estimated reading time, calculated server-side from your post content
- Display as a single value (“3 min read”) or a friendly range (“2–3 min read”)
- Adjustable words-per-minute (50–600)
- 4 icon styles: clock, timer, hourglass, or none
- Optional scroll progress bar with color, height, and position (top/bottom)
- Hide on short posts (e.g. don’t show on anything under 2 minutes)
- Custom prefix and suffix text
- Inherits theme typography and text color via block supports
- Full Site Editing (FSE) compatible — works inside block templates and template parts
- Block toolbar shortcuts for icon cycling and range toggle
- Semantic, accessible markup with ARIA labels
- No tracking, no external requests, no third-party services
- Translation-ready
Use cases
- Blog posts where readers want to gauge time investment
- Long-form articles where the scroll progress bar improves engagement
- Documentation sites
- News and magazine layouts
Development
Source code and build tools are available on GitHub:
https://github.com/sajid-ansari-65/idara-reading-time
The src/ directory contains the unminified JavaScript (ES modules, JSX) and SCSS. Run npm install && npm run build to compile.
Installation
- Upload the plugin folder to
/wp-content/plugins/, or install via Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin - Activate the plugin through the Plugins menu
- Open any post or page in the block editor
- Insert the Reading Time block where you want it displayed
- Configure icon, format, and progress bar from the block settings sidebar
Frequently asked questions
How is reading time calculated?
The plugin strips block markup, shortcodes, and HTML from the post content, counts the remaining words, and divides by your chosen words-per-minute setting (default 200). The minimum displayed value is 1 minute.
Does it work with Full Site Editing block themes?
Yes. You can place the block inside any block template or template part — for example, inside a “Single Post” template just below the Post Title block.
Will this slow down my site?
No. The entire plugin is under 25 KB, ships no jQuery, and makes zero external requests. Its CSS and JavaScript are enqueued only on pages that actually contain the block — never site-wide — so pages without it load exactly as before.
Does the scroll progress bar affect performance?
The frontend script is a tiny vanilla JavaScript file (under 1 KB) using a passive scroll listener and requestAnimationFrame. It is enqueued only on pages where the block is present.
Can I style the block?
Yes. The block fully supports WordPress block color and typography controls. The frontend uses simple class names: .idara-rt, .idara-rt-icon, .idara-rt-text, .idara-rt-progress-wrap, and .idara-rt-progress-bar.
Does this plugin track users or send data anywhere?
No. Everything runs locally on your site. No external requests, no analytics, no tracking.
How do I display reading time as a range?
In the block settings sidebar, click the “Range” button under Format. You can then choose how wide the range should be (1 to 5 minutes spread).
Changelog
1.0.1
- Tested up to WordPress 7.1.
- Updated Plugin URI to the plugin page on the Idara Studio site.
1.0.0
- Initial release
Screenshots
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best Idara Reading Time alternatives
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FAQ
Idara Reading Time: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 12, 2026
Is Idara Reading Time free?
Yes. Idara Reading Time is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Idara Reading Time safe to use in 2026?
Idara Reading Time works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. Was last updated 2 months ago, and scores 60/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Idara Reading Time?
Idara Reading Time is active on <10 WordPress websites and has been downloaded 307 times since it launched in June 2026. It was downloaded 60 times in the last 30 days.
Does Idara Reading Time work with WordPress 7.1?
Yes. The developer has tested Idara Reading Time up to WordPress 7.1.3, the latest release. It requires WordPress 6.4 or newer.
What PHP version does Idara Reading Time need?
Idara Reading Time requires PHP 7.4 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was Idara Reading Time last updated?
The latest version, 1.0.1, was released on August 26, 2026 (2 months ago).
Who makes Idara Reading Time?
Idara Reading Time is developed and maintained by Mohammad Sajid Ansari.
What are the best alternatives to Idara Reading Time?
The most popular alternatives to Idara Reading Time are SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle (400K+ installs), All In One Favicon (60K+ installs) and Gum Addon for Elementor (50K+ installs).
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