Free Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs instantly. See reading time, speaking time, and top keywords — free, no account needed.
Aim for an average of 15–20 words per sentence for clear, readable writing. Long sentences increase cognitive load and reduce comprehension.
How it works
How to use this free word counter
Paste your text
Copy any text — an essay, email, blog post, tweet, or anything else — and paste it into the box.
Read your stats
Word count, character count, sentences, paragraphs, and reading/speaking time update instantly.
Set a limit
Click a platform limit (tweet, blog post, cover letter) to track how close you are to the target.
See top keywords
The keyword cloud shows your most-used meaningful words — useful for SEO and topic focus.
FAQ
Word counter questions
Everything about counting words and characters.
How does the word counter work?+
Paste or type any text into the box above. The counter instantly calculates words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, reading time, speaking time, and more. Everything updates in real time as you type.
What counts as a word?+
Words are counted by splitting text on whitespace (spaces, tabs, line breaks). Hyphenated words like 'well-known' count as one word. Numbers, contractions, and abbreviations each count as one word. Leading and trailing spaces are ignored.
How is reading time calculated?+
Reading time is estimated at 238 words per minute, which is the average adult silent reading speed according to research. Speaking time uses 150 words per minute, a typical conversational pace. These are averages — actual times vary by person and content complexity.
What's the character limit for Twitter/X?+
Twitter/X allows 280 characters per post. The character counter below the stats bar shows your current count against common platform limits including Twitter, SMS (160 chars), and meta descriptions (160 chars).
Does it count characters with or without spaces?+
Both. The stats show 'characters (with spaces)' and 'characters (no spaces)' separately. Most word processors and platforms that have character limits count with spaces, but some count without — so we show both.
Can I use this for SEO meta descriptions?+
Yes. The limit tracker shows your character count against the 160-character recommended limit for SEO meta descriptions. Staying under 160 characters helps ensure Google displays your full description in search results.
More free tools
Related free writing tools
Character Counter
Count characters with or without spaces for any platform.
Reading Time Calculator
Paste any text and see how long it takes to read.
Password Generator
Create strong, secure passwords in one click.
Unit Converter
Convert length, weight, temperature, speed & more.