Word Counter & Character Counter
Count words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs instantly as you type or paste. Also checks your text against common platform limits like Twitter/X, SMS, and meta descriptions - free, no sign-up, nothing leaves your browser.
All counting happens locally in your browser as you type. Your text is never sent anywhere or stored.
What does this word counter do?
This word counter and character counter gives you a live, instant breakdown of any text you type or paste - word count, character count with and without spaces, sentence count, and paragraph count - updating in real time with every keystroke. It's built for writers, students, marketers, and anyone who needs to hit a specific length requirement, whether that's a college essay word minimum, a resume character limit, or a social media post that has to fit inside a strict character count.
How the counts are calculated
Words are counted by splitting your text on whitespace and ignoring empty entries. Characters are counted both including and excluding spaces, since different platforms and requirements count differently. Sentences are detected by counting sequences ending in a period, question mark, or exclamation point. Paragraphs are counted based on line breaks in your text. Reading and speaking time estimates use average rates of 200 words per minute for silent reading and 130 words per minute for speaking aloud.
Common searches this tool answers
- Word counter online free
- Character counter for Twitter or X posts
- How many words is my essay?
- SMS character limit checker
- Meta description length checker for SEO
- Free character count tool, no sign-up
Related keywords and search terms
How to use the word counter
- Type directly into the text box, or paste text you've already written.
- Watch the word, character, sentence, and paragraph counts update live.
- Check the character limits section to see how much room you have left for platforms like Twitter/X, SMS, or a meta description.
- Edit your text in place until it fits your target length.
Tips
- For SEO meta descriptions, aim for 150-160 characters so Google doesn't truncate your snippet in search results.
- For college essay or word-count-based assignments, use the word count (not character count) since that's almost always the required metric.
- Reading time estimates assume average adult reading speed - technical or dense text will typically take longer to read than the estimate shown.
- If you're writing for a strict character limit like SMS or Twitter/X, watch the "characters no spaces" figure too, since some platforms count differently than expected.
Frequently asked questions
Does this tool store or save my text?
No. All counting happens locally in your browser using JavaScript. Your text is never sent to a server or stored anywhere, and it disappears if you refresh or close the page.
How is reading time calculated?
Reading time is estimated using an average silent reading speed of 200 words per minute, a commonly used benchmark for adult readers. Actual reading time varies based on text complexity and the reader's own pace.
Why does my sentence count seem off?
Sentence counting works by detecting periods, question marks, and exclamation points. Abbreviations (like "Dr." or "e.g."), decimal numbers, and unusual punctuation can occasionally cause the count to be slightly higher or lower than a strict grammatical count.
What's the difference between characters with and without spaces?
"Characters with spaces" counts every character including blank spaces between words. "Characters without spaces" excludes those blank spaces. Different platforms and forms specify different requirements, so both figures are shown.
Is this word counter free to use?
Yes, completely free with no sign-up required, and there's no limit on how much text you can paste in or how often you use it.
