Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences and paragraphs as you type — with live reading and speaking time, right in your browser.
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Words
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Characters
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Characters (no spaces)
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Sentences
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Paragraphs
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Reading time
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Speaking time
Quick answer
A word counter tells you exactly how many words and characters your text contains. Paste or type into the box above and every count updates instantly — words, characters (with and without spaces), sentences, paragraphs, plus estimated reading and speaking time. It runs entirely in your browser, so your writing stays private and works even offline.
Why word count matters
Almost every kind of writing comes with a length target. Students have essay word limits, journalists write to a brief, and marketers battle strict character counts on ads and search snippets. Knowing your count in real time means you can shape a piece to fit its purpose instead of guessing — and edit with confidence rather than pasting into a document just to check the total. Because this tool updates live as you type, you always know where you stand.
Common word and character limits
Different platforms measure length in different ways. Academic essaysare usually set in words — a typical college essay runs 500 to 650 words, while dissertations reach many thousands. Social posts are capped in characters: tweets allow 280 characters, and a LinkedIn headline gives you 220. For SEO, a page title tag should stay under about 60 characters and a meta descriptionunder roughly 160 so Google doesn't truncate it in the results. Keeping an eye on the characters-no-spaces figure helps you land inside these limits.
Reading and speaking time
The tool also estimates how long your text takes to consume. Reading time is based on an average silent reading pace of about 200 words per minute, which is handy for gauging whether a blog post or report is a quick skim or a long read. Speaking time uses a slower 130 words per minute — a comfortable pace for a speech, presentation or video script. If you're preparing a five-minute talk, aim for roughly 650 spoken words and let the counter confirm it.
Tips for writers and SEOs
Watch the top keywordslist to spot when a word is overused — repeating the same term too often reads awkwardly and can look like keyword stuffing to search engines. Aim for natural variety instead. When you're trimming to a limit, target the longest paragraphs first, and remember that tightening sentences usually improves clarity as well as hitting the count. Everything here is calculated on your own device, so you can safely paste confidential drafts, client work or unpublished manuscripts.
Frequently asked questions
Is my text uploaded to a server?+
No. The word counter runs entirely in your browser with JavaScript. Nothing you type or paste is uploaded, stored or seen by anyone — it never leaves your device, so it is safe for private or confidential writing.
How are words counted?+
Words are counted the same way Word processors do: any run of characters separated by spaces, tabs or line breaks counts as one word. Numbers, hyphenated words and symbols surrounded by spaces each count as a single word.
What is the difference between characters with and without spaces?+
Characters (with spaces) counts every character you type, including spaces, tabs and line breaks. Characters (no spaces) ignores all whitespace — this is the figure most social platforms and meta-tag limits refer to.
How is reading and speaking time calculated?+
Reading time assumes an average silent reading speed of about 200 words per minute, and speaking time assumes roughly 130 words per minute for comfortable out-loud delivery. They are estimates to help you plan essays, scripts and presentations.
How does the counter define sentences and paragraphs?+
A sentence is a block of text ending in a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark. A paragraph is any block of text separated by one or more line breaks. Empty lines are ignored so the counts stay accurate.