Word & Character Counter

Paste or type any text to instantly count words, characters, sentences and paragraphs — and see the estimated reading time.

Instant result Runs in browser
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Words
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Characters (with spaces)
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Characters (no spaces)
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Sentences
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Paragraphs
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Reading Time

Character Limits

PlatformLimit
Twitter / X280
SMS (GSM-7)160
Google Title60
Meta Desc.160
Google Ads30
Instagram Bio150
LinkedIn Post3 000

Tip

Reading time is estimated at 200 words per minute — the average adult reading speed for ordinary prose.

How to use?

  1. 1
    Paste your text Paste or type any text into the box. Counts update in real time as you type.
  2. 2
    Read the stats Word count, character count, sentence count, paragraph count and reading time are all shown at once.
  3. 3
    Copy or clear Use the Copy button to copy the word count, or Clear Text to reset the counter.

FAQ

How are words counted?
The text is split on whitespace (spaces, tabs, line breaks) and non-empty segments are counted. A hyphenated compound like "well-known" counts as one word.
What is the difference between character counts?
"With spaces" counts every character including spaces and line breaks. "Without spaces" counts only visible characters — useful for platforms that ignore whitespace in their limits.
Is my text stored anywhere?
No. All counting happens entirely in your browser. Text is never sent to any server and is not stored anywhere.

What Is a Word and Character Counter?

A word and character counter is a text analysis tool that instantly measures the length of any text you paste or type. It counts words, characters (with and without spaces), sentences, and paragraphs, and estimates how long the text will take to read. Writers, students, SEO specialists, social media managers, and developers all rely on word counters to ensure their content meets specific length requirements.

How Are Words Counted?

Words are counted by splitting the text on whitespace — spaces, tabs, and line breaks — and counting non-empty segments. A hyphenated compound like well-known counts as one word, just as a word processor would. Numbers, punctuation tokens, and abbreviations each count as one word. The character count operates in two modes: with spaces (every character including spaces) and without spaces (visible characters only).

Reading Time Estimation

Reading time is calculated by dividing the word count by 200 — the widely cited average reading speed for adult readers tackling ordinary prose. Technical or academic content may take 30–50% longer; simple conversational text may be read faster. For audio narration a speaking rate of 120–150 words per minute is more realistic, so multiply the reading-time figure by roughly 1.3–1.7 for voiceover projects.

Character Limits You Should Know

  • Twitter / X: 280 characters per post
  • LinkedIn post: 3,000 characters before "see more"
  • SMS message: 160 characters (GSM-7) or 70 characters (Unicode/emoji)
  • Google meta description: 155–160 characters recommended
  • Google page title: 50–60 characters recommended
  • Google Ads headline: 30 characters each
  • Instagram bio: 150 characters
  • YouTube title: 100 characters (≈60 visible in search results)

Why Word Count Matters for SEO

Search engines do not rank pages on word count alone, but content length correlates with topic depth. Studies consistently show that long-form articles (1,500–2,500 words) earn more backlinks and rank for more keyword variations than thin articles. At the same time, padding text with filler words hurts readability and may trigger quality filters. The goal is the minimum length needed to fully answer the reader's question — no more, no less.

Academic and Professional Use Cases

  • University essays: Most assignments specify minimum word counts (e.g., 2,000 words). Staying close to the limit without padding demonstrates discipline.
  • Journalism: News articles must conform to strict column-inch or character limits set by editors.
  • Legal documents: Briefs and filings often have maximum page or word limits imposed by courts.
  • Publishing: Flash fiction is typically under 1,000 words; short stories 1,000–7,500; novellas 20,000–50,000; novels 50,000+.
  • Content marketing: Blog posts, landing pages, and product descriptions each have optimal lengths depending on search intent.

Privacy

All counting is performed entirely in your browser. Text you enter is never sent to any server, stored, or analysed remotely. The tool works offline once the page is loaded.

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