Free tool · runs in your browser
Word and character counter
Paste or type any text to count words, characters, sentences and paragraphs, and see how long it takes to read or say.
Reading time assumes 238 words a minute and speaking time 140. Your text stays in your browser.
Quick answer
Type or paste your text and the counts update as you type: words, characters with and without spaces, sentences, paragraphs, and reading time. Words are found with your browser's language-aware word splitter, so Chinese, Hebrew and other scripts are counted properly, and an emoji counts as one character.
How to use it
- Paste your text. An essay, a post, a product description or a message.
- Read the counts. Words, characters, characters without spaces, sentences and paragraphs update as you type.
- Check the limits. Compare the counts with the limit you need to meet, such as an essay length or a meta description.
Example
Two short paragraphs:
Input
Hello world. This is a test!
Second paragraph here.Output
Words: 9
Characters: 52
Characters without spaces: 43
Sentences: 3
Paragraphs: 2
Reading time: 3 sec
Speaking time: 4 secCommon errors and how to fix them
The count differs from Word or Google Docs- Tools treat hyphenated words, numbers like 1,000 and URLs differently. Use the tool your teacher or client uses for the final check.
The text is over the limit on X or in an SMS- X counts links as 23 characters and some emoji as 2. An SMS holds 160 basic characters, but only 70 once it contains an emoji or a non-Latin script.
An emoji counts as 2 in my code- JavaScript's .length counts UTF-16 units, so many emoji count as 2. Count graphemes with Intl.Segmenter, as this tool does.
Chinese or Japanese text shows few words- These languages have no spaces, so words are found by a dictionary-based splitter. Many limits for these languages count characters instead; use the Characters figure.
Frequently asked questions
How are words counted?
Words are split by your browser's language-aware segmenter, which handles spaces, punctuation and languages written without spaces, such as Chinese.
Do numbers count as words?
Yes. A number such as 2026 counts as one word, as it does in most word processors.
Are spaces counted as characters?
The Characters count includes spaces; Characters without spaces leaves them out. Many forms count spaces, so check which one your limit means.
How many words is a page?
About 500 words single-spaced or 250 double-spaced, with a 12-point font and normal margins.
How is reading time calculated?
At 238 words a minute, the average silent reading speed for adults. Speaking time uses 140 words a minute.
How long should a meta description be?
Aim for about 150 to 160 characters; Google shortens longer ones in search results.
What is the character limit on X (Twitter)?
280 characters for standard accounts. Links count as 23 characters and some emoji count as 2.
How many characters fit in one SMS?
160 with basic Latin characters. With emoji or other scripts such as Hebrew or Chinese, it drops to 70.
Why does my count differ from Microsoft Word?
Tools treat hyphenated words, numbers with separators, URLs and symbols differently. The difference is usually small.
Is my text saved or uploaded?
No. Counting happens in your browser and nothing is stored or sent.