Word counter and character counter
Paste or type your text and this word counter instantly shows the number of words, characters with and without spaces, sentences, paragraphs and estimated reading time. Everything runs in your browser, so your text is never uploaded. Handy for essays, blog posts, college applications and character limits.
🔒 Everything runs in your browser. Your data and files never leave your device.
How the word count works
A word is any run of letters or digits. Contractions and hyphenated words count as one word: “don't” and “well-known” are 1 word each. Punctuation on its own is not counted.
- Characters with spaces: every character, including spaces and line breaks.
- Characters without spaces: the same total minus spaces, tabs and line breaks.
- Sentences: segments ending with a period, exclamation point, question mark or ellipsis.
- Paragraphs: blocks separated by a blank line.
Reading time formula
reading time (min) = word count ÷ 230
Most adults read 200 to 260 words per minute; we use 230. For a speech read aloud, plan on about 130 words per minute.
| Text | Words | Reading time |
|---|---|---|
| LinkedIn post | 150 | 40 sec |
| Blog post | 1,200 | 5 min |
| 30-page thesis | 9,000 | 39 min |
Common word and character limits
| Use | Limit |
|---|---|
| Common App personal essay | 650 words |
| SEO title tag | 55–60 characters |
| Meta description | 150–160 characters |
| Post on X (Twitter) | 280 characters |
| Standard text message (SMS) | 160 characters (70 with emoji) |
3 real-life examples
A 650-word college essay
You paste your Common App essay and see 668 words. You know right away you need to trim 18 words to stay within the limit.
A meta description
Your description is 171 characters with spaces. Google may cut it off, so you shorten it below 160 characters while watching the live count.
A 5-minute speech
At about 130 words per minute, a 5-minute speech is roughly 650 words. The counter tells you if your speech runs long before you step on stage.