Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences, paragraphs and reading time for any text, live as you type - entirely in your browser.
Word & character counter
Counts update live and your text never leaves the page.
- Words
- 0
- Characters
- 0
- Characters (no spaces)
- 0
- Sentences
- 0
- Paragraphs
- 0
- Reading time (~200 wpm)
- 0 min
- Speaking time (~130 wpm)
- 0 min
About Word Counter
The Word Counter tallies seven metrics from whatever you paste or type: words, characters, characters excluding spaces, sentences, paragraphs, estimated reading time and estimated speaking time. Every figure updates instantly with each keystroke.
Words are counted by splitting on whitespace, so runs of spaces or line breaks don't inflate the total. Sentences are detected by terminal punctuation - periods, question marks, exclamation marks and ellipses - and paragraphs by blank lines between blocks of text. Reading time is estimated at roughly 200 words per minute and speaking time at about 130 words per minute, handy ballparks for articles and scripts respectively.
Character limits govern a lot of writing - meta descriptions, posts, SMS, ad copy, form fields - and the with-spaces and without-spaces split helps you hit the exact limit a platform enforces. The reading and speaking estimates help you pace blog posts, presentations and video scripts before you publish.
The counter runs entirely client-side: your text is analysed in the page and never sent anywhere, so you can safely measure confidential drafts, contracts or unpublished content. There is no upload, no account and no tracking.
How to use it
- 1Paste or type your text into the box.
- 2Watch the word and character counts update live as you edit.
- 3Compare characters with and without spaces to match a platform's exact limit.
- 4Use the reading- and speaking-time estimates to pace an article, post or script.
- 5Copy your text out once it fits the count you need.
Common use cases
- -Keeping essays, articles or assignments within a required word count.
- -Trimming meta descriptions, posts or ad copy to a strict character limit.
- -Estimating how long a blog post will take readers to get through.
- -Timing a speech, presentation or video script from its word count.
- -Checking confidential or unpublished text without uploading it anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
- How does the Word Counter count words?
- It splits your text on whitespace and counts the resulting chunks, so extra spaces, tabs or line breaks don't distort the total. The count updates live as you type.
- What's the difference between characters with and without spaces?
- Characters counts every character including spaces and line breaks; characters (no spaces) excludes all whitespace. Many platforms enforce one or the other, so both are shown.
- How is reading time calculated?
- Reading time is estimated at about 200 words per minute, a common average for silent reading. Speaking time uses roughly 130 words per minute, which suits narration and presentations.
- How are sentences and paragraphs detected?
- Sentences are counted by terminal punctuation - periods, question marks, exclamation marks and ellipses - and paragraphs by blank lines separating blocks of text.
- Is my text uploaded anywhere?
- No. The counter works entirely in your browser, so your text is never sent to a server. It is safe for confidential drafts, and there is no tracking or account required.