How to use the Word Counter
- Type directly into the box, or paste text from Word, Google Docs, an email or a web page.
- Watch the word, character, sentence and paragraph counts update instantly as you write.
- Check the reading and speaking time to see how long your text takes to read silently or present aloud.
- Use the keyword table to spot words you repeat too often, then edit and recount.
Features
- Live counts for words, characters, sentences and paragraphs
- Character count with and without spaces
- Reading time at 238 wpm and speaking time at 140 wpm
- Top-10 keyword density, ignoring common filler words
- Remembers your draft on this device if you close the tab
- Handles every language, including accented and non-Latin text
Why word count matters
Almost every piece of writing has a length target. School and university essays set word limits, and going over can cost marks. Journals and magazines ask for submissions within a range. Job applications cap personal statements and cover letters. Online, length shapes performance too: meta descriptions are cut off in search results after roughly 155 characters, and social networks enforce hard character limits on posts and bios. A reliable word counter lets you hit those targets without guessing.
How this word counter counts
A word is any run of letters or numbers, so “don’t”, “e-mail” and “2026” each count as one word, the same way Microsoft Word and Google Docs count them. Punctuation and emoji on their own are not counted as words. Characters include every letter, number, space and symbol, and an emoji counts as one character, as you would expect. The no spaces figure removes spaces, tabs and line breaks, which some publishers and translation agencies use for pricing.
A sentence ends with a full stop, question mark, exclamation mark or ellipsis. A paragraph is a block of text separated from the next by an empty line. Abbreviations such as “e.g.” can occasionally be read as sentence ends, so treat the sentence count as a close estimate.
Reading time and speaking time
Reading time uses 238 words per minute, the average silent reading speed for adults reading non-fiction in English found in a large 2019 review of reading studies. Speaking time uses 140 words per minute, a comfortable pace for presentations and speeches. If you are preparing a talk, a five-minute slot holds about 700 words.
Using keyword density to improve your writing
The keyword table lists the ten words you use most, leaving out short filler words such as “the” and “and”. Writers use it to catch accidental repetition: if “really” or “very” appears near the top, your writing can probably be tightened. For web content, it shows whether the topic you want to rank for actually appears in the text. Aim for natural use; repeating a keyword unnaturally makes text harder to read and does not help search rankings.
Common word count targets
| Type of writing | Typical length |
|---|---|
| Tweet / X post | Up to 280 characters |
| Meta description | 120–155 characters |
| Cover letter | 250–400 words |
| College admission essay | 500–650 words |
| Blog post | 1,000–2,000 words |
| Short story | 1,000–7,500 words |
Your text never leaves your browser. Counting happens on your device, and the draft is kept only in your browser’s local storage so it is still there if you close the tab by accident. Clearing the box removes it.
Frequently asked questions
Is this word counter accurate?
Yes. It counts words the same way Microsoft Word and Google Docs do: hyphenated words and contractions count as one word, and numbers count as words. Small differences can appear with unusual punctuation.
Does the word counter save or upload my text?
No. Counting happens in your browser and nothing is sent to a server. Your latest draft is stored only in this browser’s local storage so you do not lose it, and clicking Clear removes it.
How is reading time calculated?
Reading time divides your word count by 238 words per minute, the average silent reading speed for adults. Speaking time uses 140 words per minute, a natural presentation pace.
Are spaces counted as characters?
In the Characters figure, yes: every space and line break counts. The “Characters (no spaces)” figure leaves them out, which some publishers and translators use for pricing.
Can I count words in languages other than English?
Yes. The counter understands letters from every alphabet, including accented Latin, Cyrillic, Arabic, Hindi and Urdu scripts. Languages written without spaces between words, such as Chinese and Japanese, are counted by runs of characters instead.