Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences, paragraphs and estimated reading time in real time as you type or paste. A fast, private writing aid for essays, posts, meta descriptions and tweets.
About the Word Counter
Word and character limits are everywhere — SEO meta descriptions (~160 characters), tweets, essay requirements, and form fields. A live counter removes the guesswork so you can write to a target instead of trimming after the fact.
This counter analyzes your text entirely in the browser, so even sensitive drafts stay private. Beyond the basics, it estimates reading time and surfaces details like the longest word and average word length.
Common limits worth knowing while you write: X/Twitter posts cap at 280 characters, Google typically truncates a page title around 60 characters and a meta description around 155–160, and most college application essays land in the 250–650 word range. Having the count update live, rather than checking it after the fact in a word processor, makes it much easier to write to a target instead of trimming afterward.
Reading-time estimates like the one here are based on published averages for silent reading speed, commonly cited around 200–250 words per minute for adults reading in their first language — actual speed varies by content difficulty and reader, so treat it as a ballpark, not a guarantee. The same idea extended to speech (roughly 130–150 words per minute for conversational speaking pace) is why many teleprompter and presentation tools estimate talk length the same way.
How to use it
- 1Type or paste your text into the box.
- 2Watch the counts update live as you write.
- 3Use the reading-time estimate to gauge length.
Features
- Live word, character and character-without-spaces counts
- Sentence, paragraph and line counts
- Estimated reading and speaking time
- Longest word and average word length
- Works offline — nothing is uploaded
Frequently asked questions
How is reading time calculated?
It assumes an average reading speed of about 200–250 words per minute and divides your word count accordingly.
Does it count characters with or without spaces?
Both. The tool shows total characters as well as characters excluding spaces, which is the figure many limits refer to.
How does it count words?
Words are sequences separated by whitespace, so it matches the count most writing tools and platforms use.
Is my text private?
Yes. All counting happens in your browser; nothing you type is sent anywhere.
What is the character limit for a tweet/X post?
280 characters for most accounts. This tool's character count (with and without spaces) makes it easy to check before you post.
What length should an SEO meta description be?
Roughly 150–160 characters is the common guideline, since Google typically truncates longer descriptions in search results — though the exact cutoff varies by pixel width, not a fixed character count.
Is the reading-time estimate accurate for everyone?
It's a ballpark based on average adult silent-reading speed (about 200–250 words per minute), not a personalized measurement — technical or unfamiliar text will read slower than the estimate for most people.