How to Use This Word Counter

Using this word counter is straightforward. Start typing directly into the text area above, or paste text from any source — a document, email, or web page. All counts update in real time as you type or edit, so you always see your current stats without clicking any buttons.

The stats panel on the right (or below on mobile) shows your word count, character count, sentence count, paragraph count, and line count. You also get estimated reading time and speaking time, which are useful for presentations, blog posts, and academic work.

To check against a specific platform's character limit, use the dropdown in the toolbar. Select Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or other platforms to see a progress bar showing how much of the limit you have used. If you go over, the bar turns red so you know exactly how much to trim.

You can also set a custom word or character goal by clicking "Set Goal" in the stats panel. This is particularly useful for students writing essays with word count requirements, or bloggers aiming for an SEO-optimal article length.

What Counts as a Word?

This tool counts any sequence of non-whitespace characters separated by spaces, tabs, or line breaks as one word. This means contractions like "don't" count as one word, hyphenated phrases like "well-known" count as one word, and numbers like "3.14" count as one word. URLs and email addresses also count as one word each.

For Chinese, Japanese, and Korean (CJK) text, each character is counted as one word since these languages do not use spaces between words. If your text mixes Latin and CJK characters, both counting methods are applied automatically.

Different tools may give slightly different word counts depending on how they handle edge cases. This counter uses the same approach as most word processors: split on whitespace and count the resulting tokens.

Character Limits for Popular Platforms

When writing for social media or SEO, knowing the exact character limit is essential. Here are the current limits for the most popular platforms:

Twitter / X: 280 characters per tweet
Instagram: 2,200 characters per caption (first 125 visible)
LinkedIn: 3,000 characters per post
Facebook: 63,206 characters per post
Google Meta Description: 160 characters (recommended)
YouTube Title: 100 characters
SMS: 160 characters per segment

Use the platform selector in the toolbar above to see a live progress bar for any of these limits as you write.

Understanding Readability Scores

This tool calculates your text's Flesch Reading Ease score, which measures how easy your writing is to understand. The score ranges from 0 to 100, where higher scores mean easier reading. A score of 60 to 70 is considered standard for most audiences. Scores above 80 are easy to read, while scores below 30 indicate very difficult, academic-level prose.

The score is calculated based on average sentence length and average syllables per word. To improve readability, try shortening your sentences and using simpler words where possible. Click "Advanced Stats" in the stats panel to see your readability score, vocabulary richness, and top keywords.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my text stored or sent to any server?

No. This word counter runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your text is never transmitted to any server. If you enable auto-save, your text is stored locally on your device using your browser's localStorage — it never leaves your machine.

How is reading time calculated?

Reading time is calculated by dividing your total word count by 238 words per minute, which is the average adult reading speed according to research. Speaking time uses 130 words per minute, which is the recommended pace for presentations and public speaking.

Why does my word count differ from Microsoft Word?

Slight differences in word counting are normal and usually come down to how each tool handles edge cases like hyphenated words, contractions, numbers, and special characters. The differences are typically very small — within 1 to 2 percent of the total count.

Can I use this tool for other languages?

Yes. This counter works with any language that uses spaces between words (English, Spanish, French, German, etc.). It also has built-in support for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean text, where each character is counted as a separate word.

Read the story behind this tool: Why I Built a Word Counter When Every Browser Has One