How long does it take to solve a Rubik's Cube? If you have just got the hang of the layer-by-layer method, usually 2 to 4 minutes per solve. People who have competed at WCA competitions average around 28 seconds. The world record is 3.51 seconds.
This post puts those numbers side by side, level by level, so you can see where your own time sits and what the next milestone is. Competition figures come from World Cube Association (WCA) data, downloaded on 10 October 2026.
The short answer
| Level | Typical 3x3 time |
|---|---|
| Your very first solve | Varies a lot, usually much longer than the times below |
| Just got the layer-by-layer method down | 2 to 4 minutes |
| Lots of practice with layer-by-layer | Can get under 1 minute |
| WCA competitor in the middle of the rankings | About 28 to 29 seconds |
| Fastest 10% of competitors | About 13 seconds or less |
| World record (average) | 3.51 seconds |
The two beginner rows come from J Perm, a well-known cuber on YouTube. In his beginner guide he writes that once you are used to the method, you will usually solve in 2 to 4 minutes, and with lots of practice you can get under 1 minute (J Perm). The other rows come from the WCA rankings, explained below.
How times are measured
Cubers rarely talk about a single solve. They talk about an average of 5 (ao5): do 5 solves, drop the fastest and the slowest, and average the 3 that are left. This is also how the WCA ranks 3x3 at official competitions (WCA Regulations, article 9f8).
Why? A single solve can be fast by luck, for example with an easy scramble. An average of 5 shows how fast you usually are. That is why every number below is an average, not a best single.
You can time yourself on the 3x3 timer page. The post WCA Rubik's Cube competitions explains how averages are worked out and the other rules in more detail.
Four moves.
One at a time.
Tap each symbol and follow one piece. This is an exercise in watching the movement.
How fast are WCA competitors?
As of the download date, 282,425 people around the world had at least one 3x3 average at a WCA competition. We took that ranking from Robin Ingelbrecht's Unofficial WCA REST API, a copy rebuilt every day from the WCA's public data, and looked up the world rank for each time:
| Best average | World rank | Share of people faster than you, roughly |
|---|---|---|
| 10.00 seconds | 8,626 | 3% |
| 12.00 seconds | about 20,300 | 7% |
| 15.00 seconds | 44,219 | 16% |
| 17.00 seconds | 61,278 | 22% |
| 20.00 seconds | about 85,100 | 30% |
| 25.00 seconds | 120,451 | 43% |
| 29.98 seconds | 149,511 | 53% |
| 40.04 seconds | 193,613 | 69% |
| 50.04 seconds | 223,765 | 79% |
| 1 minute 0.00 seconds | 243,937 | 86% |
| 1 minute 29.17 seconds | 270,634 | 96% |
The person right in the middle of the table (rank about 141,000) averages about 28 to 29 seconds. Half of all competitors are faster than that and half are slower. Around 14% of competitors average over 1 minute, so do not be shy about entering a competition before you are fast.
Two things to keep in mind when reading this table:
- These are each person's best average, not their everyday time. At home, most cubers solve a little slower than their personal best.
- These are only people who have competed. They usually practise more than people who cube for fun. If you counted everyone who only solves at home, the average would be slower, but there is no reliable data for that group.
What about Vietnam?
Vietnam has 2,831 people with a 3x3 average at a WCA competition (same data source). A few points in the Vietnam ranking:
| Rank in Vietnam | Average |
|---|---|
| 1 | 5.74 seconds |
| 10 | 6.96 seconds |
| 100 | 9.09 seconds |
| about 280 | 10.69 seconds |
| 500 | 12.13 seconds |
| about 700 | 13.46 seconds |
The top spot belongs to Nguyễn Hoàng Thiên Phú, with a 5.74 second average, ranked 86th in the world (WCA). In other words, an average of about 9 seconds is enough to put you in the top 100 in the whole country.
Where a beginner's time goes
When a solve takes 2 to 4 minutes, most of that time is not slow turning. It is the pauses: hunting for the next piece, remembering an algorithm, rotating the whole cube to look around. These three steps of the 3x3 guide usually take the longest.
Step 2, placing the four white corners. You have to find each corner and bring it to the right spot:
- You start with (input)White cross done
- Result you will get after finishing this stepFirst layer all correct
Step 3, pairing the four middle-layer edges. Beginners often rotate the whole cube back and forth looking for an edge:
- You start with (input)First layer all correct
- Result you will get after finishing this stepFirst two layers all correct
Step 6, moving the yellow corners to the right spots. The algorithm is long, so one extra run costs several seconds:
- You start with (input)Whole yellow face on top
- Result you will get after finishing this stepYellow corners in place
To find out which step slows you down, film your hands while you solve, then watch it back and time each step. Whichever step takes longest, practise that one first.
From one milestone to the next
Here is the path we suggest, based on the milestones in the tables above:
- From a few minutes to under 1 minute: stick with the layer-by-layer method and just tidy up the steps you already know. The post Solve the Rubik's Cube in under 1 minute has six concrete changes.
- From 1 minute to 30 seconds: pick up finger tricks and start moving to CFOP. J Perm suggests switching to CFOP once you are comfortable with the beginner method, and adding a few algorithms at a time so it does not get overwhelming (J Perm). See What is CFOP and How to solve the Rubik's Cube fast.
- Under 20 seconds: by then you are faster than about 70% of competitors. Most of the time you save comes from pausing less between steps, not from turning faster.
J Perm also points out that more algorithms do not automatically make you faster: he averages under 11 seconds with only about 16 algorithms from the shortened version of CFOP (J Perm).
World records for comparison
According to the WCA, the current 3x3 world record is 2.51 seconds for a single solve and 3.51 seconds for an average of 5 (WCA API). On the 2x2, the record is 0.39 seconds for a single and 0.86 seconds for an average.
These numbers show the limit of what people can do, not a goal for beginners. You can find the details of each record in the post Rubik's Cube world records 2026.
Sources
- How to Solve a Rubik's Cube (J Perm)
- WCA API: World records
- WCA API: Nguyễn Hoàng Thiên Phú
- WCA Regulations
- Unofficial WCA REST API (Robin Ingelbrecht), 3x3 average rankings for the world, Vietnam, Ireland, New Zealand and Estonia
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take a beginner to solve a Rubik's Cube?
Once you have the layer-by-layer method down, usually 2 to 4 minutes per solve, according to J Perm. Your very first solve, while you still need to follow a guide, usually takes much longer.
What is a good Rubik's Cube time?
It depends on who you compare yourself with. Among people who have competed at the WCA, a 30 second average is already faster than about half, 20 seconds is faster than about 70%, and 10 seconds puts you in the fastest 3%.
What is the average time for a cuber?
The person in the middle of the WCA 3x3 average ranking has a time of about 28 to 29 seconds. That is the best average of people who have competed, so people who cube for fun at home are usually slower.
Why measure an average of 5 instead of your fastest solve?
A single solve can be fast thanks to an easy scramble. An average of 5, dropping the fastest and slowest, shows how fast you usually are, and it is also how the WCA ranks people.
Should I enter a competition if I am not fast yet?
Yes. Around 14% of people who have competed in 3x3 average over 1 minute. A competition is where you get your first official result and meet other cubers.
This information is based on competition results owned and maintained by the World Cube Association, published at worldcubeassociation.org/results as of 14.10.2026.
Cover photo: Jorick Horn / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain