Word Counter
Paste or type your text and you’ll instantly see the word count, character count (with and without spaces), sentences, paragraphs and reading time. Set a limit to see how much room is left. Your text never leaves your device.
How to use the word counter
- Type or paste your text into the box. Every number updates as you type.
- Have a limit? Tap a preset or enter your own, and choose whether it counts characters, characters without spaces, or words.
- The bar turns red when you go over, and the message tells you exactly how many to cut.
Tips for hitting a word or character limit
- Know which count is used. College essays (e.g. the Common App’s 650 words) count words; social posts and meta descriptions count characters with spaces.
- Cut filler first. “In order to” → “to”, “due to the fact that” → “because”. Small swaps add up fast.
- Aim for 90–100% of the limit. Far under the limit can read as a missed opportunity; over it may get cut off or rejected.
- Check after pasting. Rich-text editors can add hidden line breaks that change the count on the target site.
FAQ
Does the character count include spaces?
Both are shown. “Characters” includes spaces and line breaks; “No spaces” excludes all whitespace. Most essay and form limits mean characters with spaces.
How are words counted?
A word is any run of characters separated by spaces or line breaks, so “well-known” is one word and “e.g.” is one word. This matches how Google Docs and Microsoft Word count.
How is reading time calculated?
Reading time assumes 238 words per minute (the average adult silent reading speed); speaking time assumes 150 words per minute, a comfortable presentation pace.
How do emojis count?
Each visible symbol counts as one character, even emojis like 👍🏻 that are made of several code points. Some platforms, such as X, count certain emojis as two.
What are the common character limits?
X (Twitter) posts: 280 characters. Google meta descriptions: about 155–160 characters. Instagram captions: 2,200 characters. LinkedIn posts: 3,000 characters. Use the limit buttons to check against them.
Is my text saved or uploaded?
No upload — everything is counted in your browser. The text is stored only in your browser’s local storage so it survives a refresh; “Clear” removes it.