Word & Character Counter

What is a word counter?

A word counter is a free tool that counts the words, characters, sentences and paragraphs in any text and estimates how long it takes to read. Writers, students and marketers use it to stay inside length limits.

How to use it

1. Type or paste your text into the box above.
2. Read the live counts for words, characters, sentences, paragraphs and reading time.
3. Edit your text until you reach the target length.

Common uses

• Scholarship essays and statements with strict word limits
• Meta titles and descriptions for SEO
• Blog posts, captions and social media posts
• School and university assignments

Tips

• A good meta description is about 150 to 160 characters.
• Average adults read around 200 words per minute, so 1,000 words takes roughly five minutes.
• Short paragraphs of two to four sentences are easier to read on phones.

Writing an application? Read our scholarship essay guide.

Frequently asked questions

Does it count spaces?

It shows both characters with spaces and without spaces.

How is reading time worked out?

We divide the word count by about 200 words per minute.

Is there a text limit?

There is no fixed limit. Very long texts may feel slower on older phones.