Free Word Counter
Writing to a limit: essays, posts and snippets
Almost everyone who counts words is doing it for a reason: an essay with a limit, a post that must fit a platform, a description that Google will cut off, a script that must fit a time slot. This counter updates as you type and shows words, characters with and without spaces, sentences, paragraphs, estimated reading time and speaking time, plus how your text compares with common limits and which words you use most. Your writing stays in your browser the whole time.
What each number is good for
- Words for essays, articles, assignments and briefs.
- Characters for social posts, SMS, meta titles and ad copy.
- Characters without spaces for some translation and typing jobs that price by letters.
- Sentences and paragraphs to check structure at a glance: ten sentences in one paragraph is a wall of text.
- Reading time at about 238 words per minute for silent reading.
- Speaking time at about 130 words per minute, a comfortable pace for presenting or recording.
Why counts differ between programs
You may find that Word, Google Docs and this tool disagree by a few words. The reasons are small but real. Programs treat hyphenated words differently, some count a dash standing alone as a word and others do not, numbers and web addresses can be one word or several, and footnotes and headers may or may not be included. For an assignment with a strict limit, check which program or rule your teacher or client uses, and leave a small margin so you are never a few words over.
Common limits, and how to use them
| Where | Limit | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| X post, standard account | 280 characters | Some platforms count links and emoji differently, so leave a little room |
| SMS, single message | 160 characters | Longer texts may be split into several parts |
| Meta title | About 60 characters | What really matters is pixel width, see the SERP preview tool |
| Meta description | About 160 characters | Around 120 to 155 is a safe target |
| Instagram caption | 2,200 characters | Only the first line or two show before the more button |
Platforms change limits from time to time, so treat these as current guides, not guarantees.
How to cut 200 words without losing the point
- Delete throat-clearing openers, such as it is worth noting that and in my opinion.
- Replace long phrases with short ones: due to the fact that becomes because.
- Remove adverbs that add nothing, such as very, really and quite.
- Merge repeated points, and keep the better sentence.
- Cut the paragraph you love least that still does not change your argument.
Check the count after each pass. It is surprisingly satisfying to watch a bloated draft shrink to size.
Most used words: a quick editor's trick
The list of most used words is a handy repetition detector. If one word dominates, such as very, important or your own product name, you can usually vary or cut some uses. If a word you meant to emphasise barely appears, your text may be drifting off topic. Scanning it takes ten seconds and often points to an improvement you would not have noticed by reading.
Counting words in other languages
The tool counts groups of letters or numbers separated by spaces and punctuation, so it works well for English and for Bengali, Hindi, Arabic and other languages that put spaces between words. Languages written without spaces between words, such as Chinese and Japanese, cannot be counted accurately by a method that relies on spaces, so use the character count there instead.
Word counts for common writing jobs
- University essay: follow the brief, and treat the limit as a target within about ten percent.
- Job application cover letter: 250 to 400 words is a comfortable length.
- Product page description: 100 to 300 words, depending on the product.
- News story: 300 to 800 words.
- Speech: multiply the minutes by 130 for the word count.
Using the count to pace a presentation
If you have ten minutes, aim for around 1,300 spoken words at a comfortable pace, fewer if you plan pauses and slides. Paste your script, read the speaking time and trim or expand until it matches. Always practise once aloud, because real delivery is slower than silent estimates.
What to do next
When the length is right, check the flow with the readability checker, see which phrases repeat with the keyword density checker, and for token counts for AI prompts use the AI token counter.
FAQ
About 500 words single-spaced or 250 words double-spaced, depending on font and margins.
It shows characters both with and without spaces.
Word count divided by about 238 words per minute, the average adult silent reading speed.
Yes for languages that separate words with spaces, including Bengali. Languages written without spaces, such as Chinese and Japanese, are not counted accurately.
No. Counting happens in your browser.