Word Counter: Paper with highlighted words and a blue word-count tile.

Word Counter

Count words, characters, paragraphs, sentences, reading time, speaking time, and writing targets from pasted text in your browser.

Frequently asked questions

Does this Word Counter upload my text?

No. The counting happens in your browser, so the text does not need to be sent to a server for this tool to work.

What counts as a word?

The counter uses word-like segmentation when the browser supports it. Punctuation-only pieces are excluded, contractions such as I'm and don't count as one word, and numbers count when they are word-like tokens.

How are characters counted?

Characters are counted by visible Unicode graphemes when supported, so emoji and combined characters are treated closer to what the reader sees.

Does it count characters without spaces?

Yes. Spaces, tabs, line breaks, and other whitespace are removed first, then the remaining visible characters are counted.

What counts as a paragraph?

Paragraphs are non-empty text blocks separated by blank lines. Browser wrapping on screen does not create a paragraph.

How is reading time calculated?

Reading time is estimated at 238 words per minute. Text under a minute is shown in seconds, so short drafts do not round up to 1 minute.

How is speaking time calculated?

Speaking time is estimated at 130 words per minute, so scripts and talk drafts can be checked without entering a separate target.

Are the writing targets exact requirements?

No. They are suggested ranges only. Always follow the requirements of your assignment, platform, client, or contest.

What do the social check markers mean?

Each marker is a compact writing guide for a common social post length. Hover the marker to separate the short recommendation from any longer platform limit note.