# Sam Reading Time

> Sam Reading Time has 70+ active installs, a 5/5 rating from 1 reviews and 103 downloads in the last 30 days. Health score 66/100, keyword rankings, version adoption and the best alternatives.

**Verdict: Solid choice.** Sam Reading Time is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 70+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 2 months ago, and scores 66/100 on our health check.

**Display estimated reading time for your posts using a clean shortcode. Includes a lightweight settings panel under the "Posts" menu.**

## Key facts

- **Overall rank:** —
- **Active installs:** 70+
- **Total downloads:** 1,141
- **Downloads (30 days):** 103 (-17.6% vs previous 30 days)
- **Rating:** 5/5 from 1 reviews
- **Health score:** 66/100 (Good)
- **Version:** 2.4
- **Last updated:** Aug 12, 2026
- **Tested up to:** WordPress 7.0.7
- **Requires:** WordPress 6.3+, PHP 7.2+
- **Support resolved:** 0 of 0 threads (last 2 months)
- **Developer:** SAM Web Design Agency (https://pageforge.pro/directory/authors/samwda/)
- **WordPress.org:** https://wordpress.org/plugins/sam-reading-time/

## Category rankings

| Category | Rank | Plugins |
|---|---|---|
| [estimated reading time](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/estimated-reading-time/) | #3 | 15 |
| [post meta](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/post-meta/) | #18 | 52 |
| [reading time](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/reading-time/) | #11 | 61 |
| [shortcode](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/shortcode/) | >100 | 1,421 |
| [simple plugin](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/simple-plugin/) | #2 | 4 |

## WordPress.org search positions

| Keyword | Position | Results |
|---|---|---|
| estimated reading time | #5 | 167 |
| post meta | >100 | 7,411 |
| reading time | #5 | 2,076 |
| shortcode | >100 | 10,000 |
| simple plugin | >100 | 10,000 |

## Version adoption

- 2.4: 82.4%
- 2.3: 17.6%

## Alternatives

| # | Name | Active installs | Rating | Updated | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Worth The Read](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/worth-the-read/) | 3K+ | 4.3/5 (27) | Aug 26, 2026 | 70/100 |
| 2 | [WP Reading Progress](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-reading-progress/) | 3K+ | 5/5 (19) | Aug 15, 2026 | 79/100 |
| 4 | [LP Estimated Reading Time](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/lp-estimated-reading-time/) | 50+ | 5/5 (2) | Feb 11, 2016 | 32/100 |
| 5 | [MinuteRead – Reading Time for Posts](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/minuteread/) | 20+ | 5/5 (1) | Aug 22, 2026 | 74/100 |
| 6 | [Reading Time by ReadyGo – Read Time, Progress Bar & Archive Support](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/readygo-reading-time/) | 10+ | — | Aug 25, 2026 | 57/100 |
| 7 | [Simple Time to Read LSC](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/simple-time-to-read-lsc/) | <10 | — | Aug 18, 2025 | 30/100 |
| 8 | [Easy Reading Progress Bar](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-easy-reading-progress-bar/) | <10 | — | Aug 25, 2025 | 30/100 |
| 9 | [ReadJutsu – Reading Time & Scroll Progress Bar](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/readjutsu/) | <10 | — | Jul 1, 2026 | 49/100 |
| 10 | [ReadMetric](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/readmetric/) | <10 | — | Sep 7, 2026 | 60/100 |
| 11 | [Fattami Reading Time](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/fattami-reading-time/) | <10 | — | Sep 12, 2026 | 64/100 |

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sam Reading Time free?
Yes. Sam Reading Time is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.

### Is Sam Reading Time safe to use in 2026?
Sam Reading Time is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 70+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 2 months ago, and scores 66/100 on our health check.

### How many websites use Sam Reading Time?
Sam Reading Time is active on 70+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 1,141 times since it launched in August 2025. It was downloaded 103 times in the last 30 days.

### Does Sam Reading Time work with WordPress 7.1?
Sam Reading Time is officially tested up to WordPress 7.0.7, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.

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

### When was Sam Reading Time last updated?
The latest version, 2.4, was released on August 12, 2026 (2 months ago).

### Who makes Sam Reading Time?
Sam Reading Time is developed and maintained by SAM Web Design Agency.

### What are the best alternatives to Sam Reading Time?
The most popular alternatives to Sam Reading Time are Worth The Read (3K+ installs), WP Reading Progress (3K+ installs) and LP Estimated Reading Time (50+ installs).


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Source: live WordPress.org data · HTML version: https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/sam-reading-time/ · Generated 2026-10-13 00:37 UTC by PageForge