Word Counter & Text Analyzer

Count Words, Characters, and Reading Time as You Type

This word counter analyzes your text the moment you type or paste it. It shows seven numbers side by side: words, characters, characters without spaces, sentences, paragraphs, estimated reading time, and estimated speaking time. There is nothing to submit, so you can keep editing and watch the totals change with every keystroke.

Students use it to stay inside essay limits, writers use it to hit a target length, SEO writers use it to fit title tags and meta descriptions, and social media managers use it to keep posts under platform limits. Speakers and podcasters use the speaking-time estimate to plan how long a script will take to read aloud.

How to Use the Word Counter

1. Type in the text box, or paste text copied from a document, email, or web page.
2. Read the results in the boxes below the text area. They update instantly as you edit.
3. Click Copy Stats to copy all seven numbers as a short plain-text summary, or open the Export menu to download them as a CSV or Excel file or as a printable PDF.
4. Click Clear to empty the box and start again.

How Each Number Is Calculated

• Words: the text is split wherever there is whitespace (spaces, tabs, or line breaks), and each piece counts as one word. Extra spaces between words don't inflate the total. Hyphenated words such as "well-known" and contractions such as "don't" count as one word each, and numbers count as words too.
• Characters: every character in the box, including spaces, punctuation, and line breaks.
• No Spaces: the same count with all whitespace removed, including tabs and line breaks.
• Sentences: one sentence is counted at each period, exclamation point, or question mark that is followed by a space, a line break, or the end of the text. A run such as "?!" or "..." counts once. Text with no ending punctuation at all counts as a single sentence.
• Paragraphs: every line that contains text counts as a paragraph, so a single line break starts a new paragraph just like a blank line does. Empty lines are ignored.
• Reading Time: the word count divided by 225 words per minute, rounded up to the next whole minute.
• Speaking Time: the word count divided by 150 words per minute, rounded up to the next whole minute.

For example, the text "Hello world. This is a test!" contains 6 words, 28 characters, 23 characters without spaces, 2 sentences, and 1 paragraph.

Reading and Speaking Time at a Glance

Because times are rounded up, any text from 1 to 225 words shows a reading time of 1 minute. Treat the results as a planning guide; dense technical material is read more slowly.

Common Word and Character Limits

Use the Characters box for platforms that limit characters and the Words box for essays and applications. Limits change from time to time, so confirm the current rule with the platform or institution before you publish or submit.

Tips for Accurate Counts

• Abbreviations add sentences. A period followed by a space is treated as the end of a sentence, so "Dr. Smith arrived at 3.14 p.m. today." counts as 3 sentences. Decimals such as 3.14 are not split.
• End your last sentence with punctuation. If the rest of the text is punctuated, a final sentence without a period, question mark, or exclamation point is not counted.
• Stand-alone symbols count as words. A dash with spaces on both sides ("this — that") adds one word, and so does a bullet or an emoji surrounded by spaces.
• Emoji can count as two characters. The total follows the way browsers store text, so most emoji and some rare symbols add 2 or more. Sites with their own counting rules may differ slightly.
• Pasted line breaks become paragraphs. Text copied from a PDF often has a line break at the end of every line. Join those lines first if you need a meaningful paragraph count.

Frequently Asked Questions