Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences and reading time as you type.
Know the length before you publish
Every platform has a limit. Meta descriptions get cut at around 155 characters. Meta titles start to truncate near 60. University applications ask for a word count, not a character count. Social posts have their own rules.
Paste your text above and the numbers update as you type. No button to press, no page reload.
What is counted
| Metric | What it means |
|---|---|
| Words | Sequences separated by whitespace |
| Characters | Every character including spaces |
| Characters without spaces | Letters, digits and punctuation only |
| Sentences | Split on full stops, question marks and exclamation marks |
| Paragraphs | Blocks separated by a blank line |
| Reading time | Words divided by 225 words per minute |
| Speaking time | Words divided by 150 words per minute |
Speaking time is useful for video scripts and presentations. Most people speak more slowly than they read.
Where the numbers actually matter
- SEO titles. Keep them under about 60 characters so Google does not cut them off.
- Meta descriptions. Around 150 to 160 characters is the safe range.
- Ad copy. Google Ads headlines allow 30 characters, descriptions 90.
- Accessibility. Short sentences and paragraphs are easier to follow.
- Applications. Word limits are usually strict, and going over can disqualify an entry.
Reading time is a writing tool
If your introduction runs past 200 words before the first useful sentence, most readers will leave. Reading time makes that visible. A 900 word article is roughly four minutes. A 3,000 word guide is closer to thirteen.
When you have the length right, Case Converter can fix inconsistent capitalisation, and JSON Formatter handles any structured data you need to check.
Frequently asked
Does it count characters with or without spaces?
Both. The panel shows characters with spaces, characters without spaces, words, sentences, paragraphs and estimated reading time.
How is reading time calculated?
At 225 words per minute, which is a common average for adult reading on screen. Long or technical text will feel slower.
Is my text stored?
No. The count happens in your browser as you type. Nothing is sent to a server.
Does it work for other languages?
Yes, though word boundaries differ. Languages such as Chinese and Japanese do not separate words with spaces, so the word count is an approximation while the character count stays accurate.
Can I paste a whole document?
Yes. Paste up to several hundred thousand characters and the counts update instantly.