A free word counter that works as you type
This word counter counts the words, characters (with and without spaces), sentences, paragraphs and lines in any text the moment you type or paste it. It also estimates reading time (at about 238 words a minute) and speaking time (about 150 words a minute), handy for speeches, videos and presentations.
Use it to stay within the limit for an essay, a cover letter, a social-media post, a meta description or a YouTube script. The most used words list shows which words you repeat, so you can vary your writing or check keyword density for SEO.
How to count words in your text
- Click the big box and type, or paste text with Ctrl + V (⌘ + V on a Mac).
- Read the totals under the box: words, characters, sentences, paragraphs and lines.
- Check Reading time and Speaking time to see how long your text takes.
- Scroll to Most used words to see your ten most frequent words and their share of the text.
- Your text is kept in this browser, so it's still there if you close the tab. Click Clear to start again.
Questions
How are words counted?
A word is any run of letters or numbers, so “don't”, “well-known” and “2026” each count as one word. Punctuation and symbols on their own are not counted.
Does it count characters with spaces?
Yes. You see both: characters including spaces, and characters without spaces, as many forms and essay limits ask for one or the other.
Is my text saved or sent anywhere?
No. Counting happens in your browser. Your text is only remembered on your own device so it's not lost if you close the page.
Does it work in other languages?
Yes. It counts words in any language that separates words with spaces, including accented letters and non-Latin alphabets.