Start typing to see your most-used words and phrases.
| Word / phrase | Count | Density |
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How it works
The Word Counter counts your text live, entirely inside your browser. Every count updates on each keystroke: words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, reading time, and speaking time. There is nothing to submit and nothing is uploaded.
- Words are split on spaces and line breaks. Hyphenated terms and contractions count as one word.
- Characters are counted with and without spaces, as Unicode code points.
- Sentences end on
.,!,?, or an ellipsis followed by a space or the end of the text. - Paragraphs are blocks separated by a blank line.
- Reading time uses 225 words per minute. Speaking time uses 130 words per minute.
The keyword-density panel lists your most-used words and phrases, so you can spot repetition or check a target term. Your latest text is remembered in your own browser so it survives a reload. It is never sent anywhere.
What you will see
- Words
- Total words, counted by whitespace. The headline number for essays, articles, and assignments.
- Characters / Characters (no spaces)
- Total characters including spaces, and the same count with all spaces and line breaks removed. Useful for character-limited fields.
- Sentences & Paragraphs
- Sentence and paragraph counts, handy for checking structure and pacing.
- Reading time / Speaking time
- Estimated time to read silently (225 words per minute) or read aloud (130 words per minute).
- Keyword density
- Your most frequent words or 2- to 3-word phrases, with counts and the share of the text they make up. Toggle common-word filtering on or off.
Frequently asked questions
How does the word counter work?
Start typing or paste your text into the box and every count updates at once. There is no button to press. Words are counted by splitting your text on spaces and line breaks, so a hyphenated term like "well-known" or a contraction like "don't" counts as one word. Characters, sentences, paragraphs, reading time, and speaking time all update on every keystroke.
Is this word counter free, and is my text uploaded anywhere?
It is free with no signup. Your text never leaves your browser. All counting happens in JavaScript on your machine, so nothing is sent to our servers or stored online. Your most recent text is kept only in your own browser, so it is still there if you reload the page. Clearing the box or your browser data removes it.
How are characters counted, with or without spaces?
We show both. "Characters" includes spaces, line breaks, and punctuation. "Characters (no spaces)" leaves out every space and line break. Characters are counted as Unicode code points, so an emoji or accented letter counts as one character, which matches what you see on screen.
How is reading time and speaking time calculated?
Reading time assumes an average silent reading speed of 225 words per minute. Speaking time assumes 130 words per minute, a comfortable presentation pace. Both are estimates to help you plan blog posts, scripts, and speeches. Your real pace will vary with the material and the audience.
What is the keyword-density table for?
It shows which words and phrases appear most often, how many times each occurs, and what share of your text it makes up. Switch between single words, two-word phrases, and three-word phrases, and hide common filler words like "the" and "and" if you like. Writers use it to catch repetition. SEOs use it to check they are using a target term without stuffing it.
How many words should my content be?
It depends on the format. Common targets:
- A tweet or X post: up to about 280 characters.
- A meta description: around 150 to 160 characters.
- A college paragraph: 100 to 200 words.
- A short blog post: 500 to 800 words.
- An in-depth article: 1,500 to 2,500 words.
- A typical college essay: 1,500 to 2,000 words.
Use the live counts here to hit whatever target your assignment, editor, or platform sets.
Does it count words in languages other than English?
Yes, for any language that separates words with spaces: English, Spanish, French, German, and so on. Languages written without spaces between words, such as Chinese, Japanese, and Thai, are undercounted because there is no space to split on. The character count stays accurate for those.
What counts as a sentence or a paragraph?
A sentence ends at a period, question mark, exclamation point, or ellipsis followed by a space or the end of the text. A paragraph is a block of text separated from the next by a blank line. If your text uses single line breaks rather than blank lines, it counts as one paragraph.