About this word counter
This free word counter gives you a live count of words and characters the moment you type. Writers use it to hit essay and assignment word limits, marketers use it to keep meta descriptions under 155 characters, and social media managers use it to stay within Twitter/X and SMS limits. There are no ads inside the editor, no signup, and nothing is uploaded to a server.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I count words online?
- Paste or type into the box above — the counts update instantly. All counting runs locally in your browser, so it works offline and your text stays private.
- Does the character count include spaces?
- Both numbers are shown: characters with spaces and characters without spaces, so you can match any platform limit precisely.
- How is reading time estimated?
- Reading time uses 200 words per minute (average silent reading). Anything under a minute is shown in seconds.