Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences, paragraphs and estimated reading time as you type.
Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences, and lines in real-time.
Sentences are counted only when they end in “.”, “!” or “?”. Reading time assumes 200 words per minute.
What Word Counter does
Word and character limits are everywhere: meta descriptions, social posts, application forms, assignments. Counting by hand does not work and word processors are not always to hand.
Statistics update as you type, including characters both with and without spaces, since form limits are usually specified one way and word processors report the other.
- Words, characters with and without spaces
- Sentences, lines and paragraphs
- Estimated reading time
How to use Word Counter
- 1
Paste or type your text
Counts update on every keystroke.
- 2
Read the count you need
Check whether your limit is defined in characters with or without spaces before trusting a single number.
When to use it
Meta descriptions and titles
Search results truncate by rendered width rather than by an exact character count, so treat roughly 155 characters as a guide rather than a rule.
Assignments with a word limit
Check length before submission, allowing for the fact that your word processor may count slightly differently.
Estimating reading time
A rough figure for an article, based on an average adult reading speed.
Limits and known behaviour
- There is no universal definition of a word. Hyphenated compounds, numbers and symbols are counted differently by different applications, so a count here may differ slightly from one in a word processor.
- Sentence counting uses terminating punctuation, so abbreviations such as e.g. and Dr. inflate the count.
- Reading time is an average estimate; actual speed varies widely with the reader and the material.
- Text is not saved. Refreshing the page clears it.
Privacy and data handling
Runs entirely in your browser
- Everything you type is processed by JavaScript in this page; no request carries it anywhere.
- Nothing is stored between visits.
Site-wide data handling, including analytics and advertising, is described in the privacy policy.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my word processor give a different number?
Because it applies different rules to hyphenated words, numbers and punctuation. Where a limit is enforced by a specific system, count in that system.
Should I count characters with or without spaces?
Check the limit you are working to. Form fields and social platforms nearly always count spaces; editorial specifications sometimes do not.