What's a Good Rubik's Cube Solve Time?

Most people who learn to solve a Rubik's Cube ask the same question after their first few solves: is this time any good? The short answer is that "good" depends entirely on where you are in the learning process. A two-minute solve is impressive for someone in their first week. A two-minute solve means something different for someone who has been practicing for a year.

This guide lays out realistic benchmarks at each stage, explains what drives your times down, and gives you a way to set goals that are actually useful.

The Benchmark Ranges That Actually Matter

There is no single "good" time that applies to everyone. The ranges below reflect common experience levels. Your times will land in different zones depending on how long you have been solving, how consistent your practice is, and which method you use.

Stage	Typical range	What it reflects
First solves ever	5 to 20 minutes	Still looking up algorithms
Comfortable with the beginner method	2 to 4 minutes	Algorithms memorized, execution is slow
Early practice progress	90 seconds to 2 minutes	Faster recognition, fewer pauses
Sub-60	Under 60 seconds	Smooth execution, F2L intuition starting
Sub-30	Under 30 seconds	Efficient method (CFOP or similar), good lookahead
Sub-20	Under 20 seconds	Advanced technique, strong finger tricks
Sub-10	Under 10 seconds	Competition-level, elite skill
World class	Under 5 seconds	Top 0.1% of competitive solvers globally

These are general ranges based on the broader speedcubing community. Individual progress varies quite a bit.

What Beginners Should Aim For

If you just learned to solve the cube using a layer-by-layer method, getting your average down to 2 minutes or below is a reasonable first target. Most people reach this after a few weeks of regular practice, assuming they have the algorithms memorized and are not stopping to look them up mid-solve.

Once you are consistently under 2 minutes, sub-90 seconds is the next natural marker. At this stage the algorithms are in muscle memory and you are spending less time on recognition between steps. The main bottleneck shifts from "knowing what to do" to "doing it quickly enough."

Sub-60 seconds is a meaningful threshold. It is often called the point where you have moved from slow to comfortable. Getting there usually involves smoothing out your cross, improving how you find the first two layers, and executing algorithms with fewer pauses. You do not necessarily need to switch methods to reach sub-60.

A good next step after hitting sub-60 is setting up a reliable timer routine. You can read more about how to track your progress in this guide on using a cube timer and reading your times.

What Counts as Fast

Sub-30 is where most people would describe a solver as fast. Reaching sub-30 almost always requires moving beyond the basic beginner method. Most solvers at this level use CFOP (also called Fridrich), which involves solving the cross and first two layers together before finishing the last layer with a set of algorithms.

Sub-20 is a threshold that many competitive solvers work toward for a long time. Getting there reliably requires not just speed in execution but a skill called lookahead: planning the next moves while you are still executing the current ones, so there are no pauses between steps.

Sub-10 is extremely fast. There are tens of thousands of competitive speedcubers worldwide, and only a fraction of them are regularly under 10 seconds. It requires years of focused practice and typically an advanced algorithm set, optimized finger tricks, and physical familiarity with a well-tuned cube.

Why Your Average Matters More Than Your Best

A single fast solve is not a reliable indicator of your actual skill level. Speedcubers measure progress using averages, most commonly an average of five consecutive solves with the best and worst times dropped. This is called an Ao5.

An Ao5 smooths out lucky solves (easy scrambles, everything going your way) and bad ones (algorithm fumble, dropped cube). If you are tracking your times, your Ao5 tells you far more about where your skill actually sits than any single impressive solve. You can learn more about how this metric works in this breakdown of what an Ao5 is and how to read it.

How to Lower Your Times Over Time

Times come down through a combination of better technique and more consistent practice. Here are the areas that tend to make the biggest difference:

Cross efficiency. The cross (the first four edges on the bottom layer) can almost always be solved in 8 moves or fewer on any scramble. Most beginners use 12 or more. Working on cross efficiency alone can knock significant time off your solves.

Reducing pauses. Pauses between steps add up fast. If you stop for even two seconds between each phase of a solve, that is 8 or more seconds lost. Focus on recognizing the next step before you finish the current one.

Algorithm fluency. An algorithm you know but execute slowly costs more than one you have fully internalized. Drill the algorithms you use most until they feel automatic.

A structured practice routine. Random solves are useful but not as efficient as targeted practice. Spending time specifically on the cross, or on a single algorithm group, often produces faster improvement than just doing full solves repeatedly. A structured approach is covered in this guide to building a practice routine.

Comparing Yourself to Others

The worldwide average Rubik's Cube solve time for someone who can solve at all (not just someone who practices) is somewhere in the 2 to 4 minute range. Most people who casually learn to solve and then move on never get below 90 seconds. Someone who practices regularly for several months and cares about improvement will typically be in the sub-60 to sub-30 range.

Competition averages at the beginner level of organized events tend to sit around 30 to 45 seconds. Mid-level competitors are often in the 15 to 25 second range. Top national-level competitors are under 10 seconds. World record holders are under 4 seconds.

These numbers are not meant to pressure you. They are reference points. If you are a few months in and averaging 90 seconds, you are doing well relative to most casual learners. If you are sub-30, you are faster than the overwhelming majority of people who have ever solved a cube.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is considered a good time for a beginner? For someone who just learned to solve using a beginner method, getting to a comfortable 2-minute average is a solid first goal. Once you are under 90 seconds without stopping to think, you are ahead of most people who pick up the cube casually.

What is the average solve time for a Rubik's Cube? Among people who can solve the cube at all, the average is roughly 2 to 4 minutes. Among people who practice regularly, the average is closer to 1 to 2 minutes. Among active competitive speedcubers, the average is typically in the 15 to 30 second range.

At what point does my time actually get fast? Sub-60 seconds is often seen as the point where a solve looks smooth and confident to a casual observer. Sub-30 is where most people in the speedcubing community would call you fast. Sub-20 is where serious speedcubers start to take notice.

Do I need a better cube to get faster? A poor cube can slow you down, but a better cube will not automatically make you faster. Most beginners are limited by technique, not hardware. That said, a well-lubed speed cube with magnetic positioning makes it easier to execute moves precisely, which can help once your technique is already solid.

How long does it take to get to sub-60? It varies widely. Someone practicing 20 to 30 minutes a day with deliberate focus on technique might reach sub-60 in two to four months. Someone solving casually a few times a week might take six months to a year. There is no fixed timeline; it depends on how you practice, not just how often.