Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences and paragraphs in any text, with an estimated reading time.
Tip: Some platforms count spaces differently, so check whether your limit applies to characters with or without spaces.
Did this tool help?
About this digital tool
A word counter shows how many words, characters, sentences and paragraphs a text contains, together with its estimated reading time. Type or paste your text and the results update as you write. Words are counted by splitting the text at spaces, sentences at full stops, question marks and exclamation marks, and paragraphs at blank lines. Characters are shown both with and without spaces. Reading time is based on an average of about 200 words per minute. It is useful for students with word limits on essays, content writers, social media posts and any text that must fit within a set number of characters.
How to use
- Type or paste your text into the box.
- Read the word, character and sentence counts as you write.
- Check the estimated reading time.
Frequently asked questions
How is reading time estimated?
It is based on an average reading speed of about 200 words per minute. Real reading speed varies by person and by text.
Are spaces counted as characters?
The tool shows two values: characters with spaces and characters without spaces. Choose the one your limit uses, since platforms differ.
How does the counter decide what a word is?
Words are separated by spaces and line breaks. Sentences end at a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark, and paragraphs are separated by blank lines.
Does the counter work for long essays?
Yes. The counts update as you type, so you can check a long essay against its word limit before you submit it.