Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences and reading time as you type.
Writers, students and marketers use word counters to hit length targets for essays, meta descriptions, tweets and articles.
How to use
- Paste or type your text into the box.
- Counts update live — no button needed.
- Use the reading-time figure for essays, articles and speeches.
About this tool
Reading time is estimated at 200 words per minute, the average adult reading speed for non-fiction.
Your text is processed locally in your browser and never uploaded anywhere.
How it works
This tool counts words the way most editors do: it splits your text on whitespace, so anything separated by spaces, tabs, or line breaks counts as one word. Hyphenated compounds like "well-known" count as a single word, which matches how Microsoft Word and Google Docs behave.
Characters are counted two ways — with and without spaces — because different platforms use different rules. Social networks count every character including spaces; many school essays exclude them. Sentences are detected by terminal punctuation (. ! ?), and reading time assumes an average adult pace of 200–250 words per minute.
Worked examples
Essay check: Paste a 1,200-word draft to confirm it lands inside a 1,000–1,500 word assignment range before submitting.
Social post: A 280-character limit works out to roughly 40–55 words — the counter shows both, so there is no guessing.
Quick reference
| Reading speed | Words / minute | 1,000 words takes |
|---|---|---|
| Average adult | 200–250 | ~4–5 min |
| College student | 250–300 | ~3–4 min |
| Speed reader | 400+ | ~2.5 min |
| Speaking pace | 130–160 | ~6–8 min |
Frequently asked questions
How are words counted?
Any sequence of characters separated by spaces or line breaks counts as one word.
Is my text sent to a server?
No. Counting happens entirely in your browser — safe for drafts, manuscripts and private documents.
What is a good word count for a blog post?
It depends on the topic, but 1,000–2,000 words is a common target for in-depth articles that rank well.
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