About the Word Counter
Paste or type your text below to count words, characters, sentences and paragraphs as you type. The word counter also shows estimated reading and speaking time plus your most used keywords, which is handy for essays, blog posts, social media captions and SEO meta descriptions.
How to use the Word Counter
- Type or paste your text into the box.
- Watch the word, character, sentence and paragraph counts update live.
- Check reading time, speaking time and keyword density below the box.
- Use Copy or Clear when you are done.
Features
- Live word, character, sentence and paragraph counts
- Characters with and without spaces
- Reading time (238 wpm) and speaking time (150 wpm)
- Top keyword density to avoid overusing words
- Works offline once loaded - your text is never uploaded
Why word count matters
Schools, universities and publishers often set strict word limits, and social platforms cap the number of characters you can post. Search engines typically show around 155-160 characters of a meta description, and a title tag should stay under about 60 characters. Knowing your exact count helps you hit these targets without guesswork.
How words are counted
A word is any group of letters or numbers separated by spaces or line breaks. Punctuation on its own is not counted as a word. Sentences are counted by ending punctuation (. ! ?) and paragraphs by blank lines, so the numbers match what you would expect from word processors like Microsoft Word and Google Docs.
Frequently asked questions
Is this word counter free?
Yes. The word counter is completely free with no sign up and no limits on how much text you paste.
Is my text saved or uploaded?
No. Counting happens entirely in your browser. Your text is never sent to our server or stored anywhere.
How is reading time calculated?
Reading time uses an average adult silent reading speed of 238 words per minute. Speaking time uses 150 words per minute, a typical pace for presentations.
How many words is a 5 page essay?
With double spacing and a 12pt font, one page is roughly 250-300 words, so a 5 page essay is about 1,250-1,500 words.
Does it count characters with spaces?
Yes. You get both characters with spaces and characters without spaces, which is what most character limits refer to.