How to Count Words and Characters in Text
Whether you're hitting an essay target or a social-media character limit, a word counter gives you live counts as you type — free and private.
Last updated: July 2026
Count words, characters, sentences and reading time instantly and privately with a free word counter. No sign-up.
Free word counter and character counter. Count words, characters, sentences, paragraphs and reading time as you type. Private and instant.
Step by step
- Open the free Word Counter.
- Type or paste your text.
- Read the live word, character, sentence and paragraph counts.
- Use the reading-time estimate for content planning.
Words vs characters
Essays usually have word targets; social platforms and meta descriptions have character limits. The tool shows both, including characters with and without spaces.
Reading time
Reading time is estimated at ~200 words per minute — handy for gauging article length.
FAQ
Is my text stored?
No — counting happens entirely in your browser.
Does it count characters without spaces?
Yes, both totals are shown.
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