Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, and reading time. Paste any text to analyze it.
About this tool
This word counter counts the words, characters, sentences and paragraphs in any text you paste and estimates how long it takes to read. It updates as you type, so you can trim an essay to a limit or check a caption in seconds.
Everything runs in your browser. Your text is never uploaded, which makes it safe for drafts, assignments and private notes.
How to use it
- Paste or type your text into the box.
- Read the live counts for words, characters, characters without spaces, sentences and paragraphs.
- Check the reading time estimate, then edit your text until you hit your target.
- Use Clear to start over or Copy Text to copy your text.
How the counts work
Words are groups of characters separated by spaces or line breaks. Sentences end at a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark. Paragraphs are blocks separated by a blank line. Reading time assumes about 200 words per minute, rounded up.
Worked example
Sample text: Hello world. This is a test.
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
| Words | 6 |
| Sentences | 2 |
| Paragraphs | 1 |
Tips and common mistakes
- Many applications and journals count words differently when hyphenated terms or numbers appear. Check your own submission rules.
- For social media, characters matter more than words. Use the character count to stay inside platform limits.
- Read your text aloud once. It helps you catch long sentences that a count will not flag.
Frequently asked questions
How does the word counter count words?
It splits your text wherever there is whitespace and counts the pieces. Hyphenated words and numbers each count as one word.
Is my text saved or uploaded?
No. The count runs entirely in your browser and the text never leaves your device.
How is reading time estimated?
It divides your word count by 200 words per minute, a typical silent reading speed for adults, and rounds up.
Does it count spaces in characters?
Both figures are shown: characters including spaces and characters without spaces.
Is there a limit on text length?
There is no fixed limit. Very large documents of several hundred thousand words may be slow on older phones.
Why is my count different in Word or Google Docs?
Each program has its own rules for symbols, dashes and line breaks, so small differences are normal.