Free Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, and reading time instantly.
A word counter tells you exactly how many words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs your text contains — plus an estimated reading time. Whether you're writing a blog post, an email, an essay, or a social media caption, knowing your word count helps you stay within limits and write with purpose.
- ✓ Live word count as you type
- ✓ Character count with and without spaces
- ✓ Sentence and paragraph detection
- ✓ Reading time estimate (200 wpm)
- ✓ No signup, no data stored
- ✓ Works on any text length
0Words
0Characters
0Chars (no spaces)
0Sentences
0Paragraphs
0 minReading time
How to Use the Word Counter
- Paste or type your text into the box above.
- Read the stats — word count, characters, sentences, paragraphs, and reading time update instantly.
- Trim or expand your text until you hit your target count.
- Copy your text back out using the Copy button.
When to Use a Word Counter
- Blog writers — most blog posts perform best between 1,500–2,500 words for SEO.
- Students — check your essay meets the word count requirement before submitting.
- Social media — Twitter/X allows 280 characters; LinkedIn posts up to 3,000.
- Email marketers — subject lines under 50 characters get higher open rates.
- Authors — track chapter or manuscript progress against your daily writing goal.
Related guides
Frequently Asked Questions
- How does the word counter work?
- Text is split by whitespace to count words. Characters are counted per codepoint. Sentences use punctuation markers. Paragraphs are blank-line-separated blocks.
- How is reading time calculated?
- Based on the average adult reading speed of 200 words per minute, rounded up to the nearest minute.
- Does this store my text?
- No. All processing happens in your browser. Nothing is sent to any server.
- Is there a character limit?
- No limit. The counter handles arbitrarily long texts.
- Is this word counter free?
- Yes, completely free. No account, no subscription, no download required. Open the page and start counting.
- Can I use the word counter on mobile?
- Yes. The tool works in any modern browser on mobile, tablet, and desktop. All processing happens locally on your device.