Word Counter
Paste or type any text to see its word count, character count, sentences, paragraphs, reading time and most frequent words — updated live as you write.
Runs in your browser
How to use
- Type or paste your text in the box.
- Read the counts at the top — they update as you type.
- Check the most frequent words to spot repetition.
- Clear the box to start over.
How it works
A word is counted as a run of letters or digits; apostrophes and hyphens inside a word (“don't”, “well-known”) don't split it. Chinese and Japanese characters are counted one by one, following the usual convention for those languages.
Reading time assumes 238 words per minute, the average silent reading speed for adults measured across 190 studies (Brysbaert, 2019). Speaking time assumes 150 words per minute, a typical presentation pace.
Examples
- Essay limits
- A 1,500-word essay limit usually means ±10%. Paste your draft to see exactly where you stand before submitting.
- SEO meta description
- Aim for roughly 20–30 words (about 120–160 characters) so the description isn't cut off in search results.
- A post for LinkedIn or X
- Paste a draft to check it against the limit you are writing for — the character count updates as you edit.
Common uses
- Checking essays and assignments against word limits
- Writing blog posts, press releases and product descriptions to length
- Estimating how long a speech or video script will take to read aloud
- Spotting overused words in a draft
Privacy & security
This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files and text are never uploaded to our servers — processing happens on your device and results are created locally. How each tool handles files
Frequently asked questions
How does the word counter count hyphenated words?
Hyphenated words such as “state-of-the-art” count as one word, matching how Microsoft Word and Google Docs count them.
Is my text stored anywhere?
No. Counting happens in your browser. Your text is never sent to a server and disappears when you close the page.
Why is my count slightly different from Word?
Word processors differ on edge cases such as numbers with separators, URLs and em-dashes without spaces. Differences are usually under 1%.
How many pages is my text?
With the common academic setting — 12 pt, double-spaced, 1-inch margins — a page holds about 250 words, so 1,500 words is roughly six pages. Single-spaced, it is about 500 words a page. Your exact layout decides the real count.
Does it count as I type?
Yes, everything updates live, and you can paste text from Word, Google Docs or a PDF. Formatting is ignored; only the text is counted.
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