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Word Counter

Paste or type text to count words, characters, sentences and paragraphs. The analysis updates instantly in your browser.

Tool workspace

0Words
0Characters
0No spaces
0Sentences
0Paragraphs
0 minReading time

Privacy note: this tool runs in your browser. Do not use any online service for secrets unless its privacy and security practices meet your needs.

About this tool

About Word Counter

The Word Counter counts words, characters, sentences and paragraphs as you type or paste text. It also estimates reading time, so you can quickly check an essay, caption, product description or article against a required length.

Writers, students and marketers often work with limits, such as a school word count, a social caption or a search snippet. Counting happens live in your browser, which means the numbers update with every keystroke and your text stays on your device.

Word limits show up everywhere: essays, product descriptions, social posts, meta descriptions and application forms. The Word Counter shows words, characters, sentences and estimated reading time as you type, so you can adjust a draft before you submit it.

Counting rules differ between platforms. Some count spaces, some do not, and some count symbols differently, so use the counter to get close and check the exact rule of the place you are submitting to.

Step by step

How to Use Word Counter

  1. 1
    Paste or type your textAdd your content to the text box. Counts begin updating immediately.
  2. 2
    Read the statisticsCheck words, characters with and without spaces, sentences, paragraphs and reading time.
  3. 3
    Edit to hit your targetTrim or expand the text until the numbers match the limit you need.
  4. 4
    Clear when finishedUse the clear button to remove the text and start a new check.
Real-world use

Where Word Counter helps most

Essays and assignmentsStay within a required word count without counting by hand.
Social postsFit a message inside a character limit before you publish.
SEO snippetsCheck that a title or meta description is a sensible length.
Speeches and reading timeEstimate how long a text takes to read or present.
Get better results

Practical tips for Word Counter

  • Check whether the platform counts spaces before relying on a character total.
  • Count the final version, because editing changes the numbers.
  • Use reading time as an estimate, since reading speed varies from person to person.
  • Paste plain text to avoid hidden formatting characters affecting the count.
  • Review long texts in sections so you can spot where a draft grows too wordy.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Trusting a count that includes headings, citations or other parts the limit excludes.
  • Counting characters with spaces when the limit excludes them.
  • Cutting meaning to hit a number instead of tightening wording.
Benefits

Why Use Word Counter

Live resultsEvery number updates instantly as you edit the text.
Complete statisticsWords, characters, characters without spaces, sentences, paragraphs and reading time.
Private by designCounting runs locally in your browser and the text is not sent to a server.
Useful everywhereGreat for essays, captions, descriptions, scripts and SEO snippets.

Good to know. This tool runs in your browser, so the text you enter is processed on your own device. Even so, avoid pasting real passwords or secrets into any online tool. See the Privacy Policy for details.

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Questions & answers

Frequently Asked Questions

How are words counted?
Words are groups of characters separated by spaces or line breaks. Punctuation attached to a word does not create an extra word.
Can I see characters with and without spaces?
Yes. The tool shows both totals, which is helpful for platforms that limit characters in different ways.
How is reading time estimated?
Reading time is based on an average adult reading speed of about two hundred words per minute, so it is an approximation.
Why does another app show a different count?
Applications treat hyphenated words, numbers and symbols slightly differently, so small differences between tools are normal.
Is my text uploaded anywhere?
No. The analysis runs inside your browser and this page does not send your text to a server.
Is there a maximum length?
There is no fixed limit, but extremely large texts may slow down your browser while the page recalculates.