Word & Character Counter
Word count, character count, and reading time, updated as you type.
Paste or type text to see the word count, character count (with and without spaces), sentence count, and estimated reading time — all updated live.
What gets counted
- Words — every group of characters separated by spaces or line breaks, so "don't", "2026" and "e-mail" each count as one word.
- Characters — every letter, number, space and punctuation mark. Most social platforms count this way.
- Characters without spaces — useful when an assignment or form counts only visible characters.
- Sentences — counted at each period, exclamation point and question mark.
- Reading time — words ÷ 200, rounded up, based on an average silent reading speed.
Common word and character limits
| Where | Limit |
|---|---|
| Common App personal essay | 650 words |
| Post on X (standard account) | 280 characters |
| Instagram caption | 2,200 characters |
| Single text message (SMS) | 160 characters |
| Search result description (approx.) | 150–160 characters |
Platforms change their limits from time to time, so check the current rule if you're right at the edge.
Reading time examples
At 200 words per minute, a 500-word blog post takes about 3 minutes to read, a 1,000-word article about 5 minutes, and a 2,500-word report about 13 minutes. Shorter is often better online: if a page needs to be skimmed, keep paragraphs short and put the key point first.
Frequently asked questions
How is reading time calculated?
Based on an average adult silent reading speed of 200 words per minute, rounded up to the nearest minute.
Does it count numbers and punctuation as words?
Any sequence of non-space characters counts as one word — so "123" or "don't" each count as a single word, matching how most word processors count.
Why is the sentence count sometimes too high?
Sentences are counted at every period, exclamation point and question mark, so abbreviations such as "Dr." or "U.S." are counted as sentence endings too. Treat the sentence count as an estimate for text with many abbreviations.
How many pages is 1,000 words?
Roughly 2 pages single-spaced or 4 pages double-spaced in a standard 12-point font. Page counts vary with font, margins and paragraph breaks, which is why many instructors set word limits instead.
Is my text saved or uploaded?
No. Everything is counted in your browser, so drafts, essays and private documents never leave your device.