Counting words and characters tells you whether your text fits a limit and roughly how long it takes to read. A word counter splits the text on whitespace to count words, counts characters with and without spaces, and estimates reading time from the word count. To use one, just paste your text. Here is what the numbers mean and where they matter.
Add the content you want to measure.
Words, characters, sentences, paragraphs and lines update live.
See an estimate based on average reading speed.
Trim or expand to fit the target length.
Where word and character limits matter
Meta descriptions aim for about 150–160 characters, title tags around 60, and many social posts cap characters. Essays and articles are usually set in words. A word counter shows both, so you can fit any limit at a glance.
How reading time is estimated
Reading time is the word count divided by an average reading speed — about 200 words per minute for adults. It’s an estimate, but a useful one for “X min read” labels on articles.
Tip: For SEO meta descriptions, watch the character count (≈155) rather than words — search engines truncate by pixels, and character count is the closest simple proxy.
Count words now
See words, characters and reading time live as you type — free, in your browser.
Open the Word Counter →Frequently Asked Questions
How do I count words?
Paste your text into a word counter; it splits on whitespace and shows the word count live, along with characters and more.
What is the reading time based on?
The word count at roughly 200 words per minute, a common average reading speed.
Is my text uploaded?
No — counting runs in your browser.