How does this word counter work?

Type or paste your text into the box. The counter updates instantly as you type, calculating word count, character count, sentence count, paragraph count, and estimated reading and speaking times.

How is reading time calculated?

Reading time is based on an average adult reading speed of 238 words per minute. Speaking time uses 130 words per minute, the average conversational pace.

Does this word counter work offline?

Yes. All counting happens entirely in your browser. No text is ever sent to a server, so it works with or without an internet connection.

Word Counter — Count Words, Characters & More

Q: What counts as a word?

Any sequence of non-whitespace characters separated by spaces, tabs, or newlines counts as one word. Numbers, hyphenated words, and contractions each count as one word.

Word count limits for popular platforms

Use this reference to check your text fits the platform you're writing for.

Platform / Format	Limit	Type
X (Twitter)	280	characters
LinkedIn post	3,000	characters
LinkedIn article	125,000	characters
Instagram caption	2,200	characters
Facebook post	63,206	characters
YouTube description	5,000	characters
Google Ads headline	30	characters
Google Ads description	90	characters
Email subject line	50–60	characters (recommended)
University essay (undergrad)	1,500–2,500	words (typical)
University essay (postgrad)	3,000–6,000	words (typical)
Short story	1,000–7,500	words
Novelette	7,500–17,500	words
Novel	50,000+	words

How reading and speaking time are calculated

Reading time uses a speed of 238 words per minute — the average adult silent reading rate from research published in Reading Research Quarterly (Rayner et al., 2016). This is the most accurate general benchmark available.

Speaking time uses 130 words per minute, the typical conversational pace. Formal presentations run slightly faster (~150 wpm); audiobooks are typically 150–160 wpm. If you're preparing a speech, add 10–15% extra time for pauses, emphasis, and breathing.

What counts as a word?

Any continuous sequence of non-whitespace characters. Hyphenated words (e.g. well-being) count as one word. Numbers count as one word each. Contractions like don't count as one word.

What counts as a sentence?

This counter detects sentence boundaries at full stops, exclamation marks, and question marks followed by a space or end of text. It handles common abbreviations and decimal numbers to avoid false splits.

What counts as a paragraph?

Any block of text separated from the next by one or more blank lines. A single line of text with no blank lines around it counts as one paragraph.

Frequently asked questions

Does this word counter save my text?

No. Everything runs entirely in your browser. Your text never leaves your device and is not stored anywhere — not even temporarily on a server.

Is there a character or word limit?

No hard limit. You can paste an entire book chapter if you like — the counter handles it without slowing down. Very large texts (100,000+ words) may take a moment to update the top-words list.

Why does my word count differ from Microsoft Word?

Different tools handle edge cases differently — em dashes, URLs, and special characters can be treated as word separators or not. Small differences of 1–3 words on typical documents are normal. This counter uses the same logic as most online tools: spaces, tabs, and newlines separate words.

Can I use this on mobile?

Yes. The tool is fully responsive and works on phones, tablets, and desktops. Paste text from any app directly into the text box.

What is "top words" showing me?

The 10 most frequently used words in your text, excluding common stop words (the, a, is, and, etc.). Useful for checking keyword density in SEO content or spotting overused words in writing.