What it is and what it is for
A 1,500-word essay, a 280-character post, a 160-character product description: almost everything you write has a limit. This counter gives you words, characters with and without spaces, sentences, paragraphs and reading time in real time as you type or paste.
The count runs in your browser. The text is not sent to any server or saved, so you can paste private drafts without worry. Reading time is estimated at 200 words per minute, an average speed for English text.
How to use it, step by step
- Paste your text or start typing in the box.
- Watch the figures update with every keystroke.
- Compare the words with the minimum or maximum you were given.
- Check the characters if you publish on social media or in a field with a limit.
- Use the reading time to decide whether to cut or split the text.
Worked example
A 1,000-word article takes about 5 minutes to read. A 45-word text with three short sentences is a single paragraph and reads in under a minute, rounded up to 1. Two line breaks in a row separate one paragraph from the next.
Frequently asked questions
How are words counted?
The text is split on spaces and line breaks. A hyphen or slash joins two parts into one word when there is no space between them.
Does it handle emojis and accents correctly?
Yes. Characters are counted by real symbol, so an emoji counts as one.
How are sentences counted?
By full stops, question marks and exclamation marks. A text with no punctuation counts as one sentence.
Is what I paste saved?
No. Everything happens in your browser and the text never leaves your device.
What word count should I aim for?
It depends on the format. A blog post that ranks well is often between 800 and 1,500 words, a product description 50 to 150, and an email under 200.