Word Counter

How to use

1. Paste or type your text into the text area. The tool updates as you type.
2. Words are counted by splitting on spaces and counting sequences of letters and numbers (e.g. “don’t” is one word).
3. Characters include every letter, digit, space, and punctuation in the box.
4. Lines are counted by the number of line breaks. A single line with no breaks counts as 1.
5. Reading time is estimated at about 200 words per minute—a common average for silent reading.
6. Use the counts to meet word limits for essays, posts, or product descriptions.
7. Nothing is sent to our servers; counting happens in your browser.

Examples

• Short paragraph
  Input: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. It contains every letter of the alphabet.
  Output: 18 words, 77 characters, 2 lines, < 1 min
• List with line breaks
  Input: Apple Banana Cherry Date
  Output: 4 words, 24 characters, 4 lines, < 1 min
• Number and punctuation
  Input: Price: $99.99. Buy 2, get 10% off.
  Output: 6 words, 35 characters, 1 line, < 1 min
• ~200 words (about 1 min read)
  Input: A 200-word piece of text fills roughly one double-spaced page...
  Output: ~200 words, ~1 min reading time
• Empty input
  Input: (empty)
  Output: 0 words, 0 characters, 1 line, 0 min
• Hyphenated and apostrophes
  Input: It's a well-known fact. Don't worry.
  Output: 7 words (contractions and compounds counted as one word each)

FAQ

How are words counted?

We split the text on whitespace and count sequences of word characters (letters, digits, apostrophes). “Don’t” and “well-known” are one word each.

What counts as a character?

Every character in the box: letters, digits, spaces, punctuation, and symbols. No character is excluded.

How is reading time calculated?

We divide the word count by 200 (words per minute), a common estimate for silent reading. It’s a rough guide, not precise.

Does it work for other languages?

Character and line counts work for any language. Word count is best for languages that use spaces between words (e.g. English, French).

Is my text stored or sent anywhere?

No. Counting runs entirely in your browser. We don’t receive or store your text.

Why does the word count differ from Microsoft Word?

Different tools use different rules (e.g. hyphens, numbers). Our method is simple and consistent; use the same tool for comparing drafts.

Can I use it for essays or assignments?

Yes. Use it to stay within word limits. If your teacher uses a specific tool, check their rules in case they count differently.

What about headlines or titles?

They’re included in the total. If you need a separate count, paste only the headline into the box.

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