Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs as you type, with reading time and keyword density.
Type or paste text and see a live count of words, characters (with and without spaces), sentences, and paragraphs, plus an estimated reading time. It's built for writers, students, and anyone working to a length limit.
What it counts
Words are counted by splitting on whitespace, so hyphenated terms count as one. Characters are shown both including and excluding spaces, which matters for platforms with hard character limits. Sentences are estimated from terminal punctuation, and reading time assumes an average of about 200 words per minute.
Why length limits matter
Different contexts cap you at different lengths: a meta description around 155 characters, a tweet at 280, an essay at a set word count, an SMS at 160. Watching the numbers update as you write keeps you inside the limit without pasting into another app to check. Everything stays in your browser, so even confidential drafts are safe here.
Length targets worth knowing
Different formats reward different lengths. A page title tends to display fully up to around 60 characters; a meta description, about 155. A tweet caps at 280 characters. Academic essays and articles are set in words, while SMS messages count in segments of 160 characters. Because this counter updates as you type, you can write to any of these limits directly instead of drafting elsewhere and pasting back to check. Watching the numbers move also makes it easy to trim a sentence that pushes you just over a threshold.
Counts that actually matter
Different tasks care about different numbers. Essays and articles are usually briefed in words; tweets and meta descriptions in characters; reading time in a rough words-per-minute estimate. Knowing which count binds your work saves you from trimming the wrong thing. A meta description that reads perfectly at 30 words can still be truncated in search results because it exceeds roughly 160 characters — so for that job the character count, not the word count, is the real constraint.
Reading time is the count people underestimate most. At an average adult pace of around 200–250 words per minute, a 1,000-word article takes four to five minutes, which is a useful reality check when you're tempted to add "just one more section." Sentence and paragraph counts hint at rhythm: very long averages suggest dense, hard-to-scan writing, while very short ones can feel choppy. Watching all these figures update live as you edit turns vague intentions like "keep it tight" into something you can actually measure against.
Frequently asked questions
How is reading time calculated?
It divides the word count by an average silent reading speed of roughly 200 words per minute. Actual speed varies by reader and material.
Does it count characters with or without spaces?
Both. The tool shows character counts including spaces and excluding them, since different platforms count them differently.
Is my text saved?
No. Counting happens live in your browser and nothing is stored or uploaded.
Do hyphenated words count as one or two?
As one. The counter splits on whitespace, so 'well-known' is a single word. Words joined only by a hyphen aren't separated.
Why does my character count differ from another tool?
Usually because of spaces and line breaks. This tool shows characters both with and without spaces so you can match whichever a given platform counts.
How is reading time calculated?
It divides the word count by an average silent-reading speed of roughly 200–250 words per minute. Technical or unfamiliar material naturally reads slower than this estimate.
Last updated: 2026-01-15