Word Counter: Analyze Text Length, Reading Time & More

Whether you’re writing a blog post, crafting a tweet, or submitting an essay with a word limit, knowing your exact word count matters. Our word counter gives you instant stats on your text — words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, and estimated reading time.

What the Word Counter Measures

Word Count

Words are counted by splitting text on whitespace. Hyphenated words like “well-known” count as one word, consistent with most word processors.

Character Count

Two character counts are provided:

• Total characters — includes spaces, punctuation, and everything else
• Characters without spaces — useful for platforms with character limits that don’t count spaces

Sentence Count

Sentences are detected by looking for terminal punctuation marks: periods (.), exclamation marks (!), and question marks (?). Abbreviations like “Dr.” or “U.S.A.” may count as extra sentences — this is a limitation of simple sentence detection.

Paragraph Count

Paragraphs are separated by blank lines (two consecutive newlines). A single block of text with no blank lines counts as one paragraph.

Reading Time

Reading time is estimated at 200 words per minute, which is the average for adult readers consuming online content. Academic or technical content might be slower (~150 wpm), while casual content is faster (~250 wpm).

Speaking Time

Speaking time is estimated at 130 words per minute, which is a comfortable conversational pace. Formal presentations are typically 120-150 wpm, while rapid speaking can reach 170+ wpm.

Common Word Count Requirements

Platform / Context	Limit
Tweet (X/Twitter)	280 characters
Instagram caption	2,200 characters
Meta description	155-160 characters
Title tag	50-60 characters
Blog post (SEO)	1,500-2,500 words
Medium article	1,600 words (7 min read)
College essay	250-650 words (Common App)
Cover letter	250-400 words
Abstract (academic)	150-300 words

How to Use Our Word Counter

1. Type or paste your text into the input area
2. View stats instantly — all counts update in real time as you type
3. Use the stats to check against word limits, estimate reading time, or track writing progress

Tips

• The tool works in real time — no need to click a button
• Copy text from Google Docs, Word, or any editor — formatting is stripped automatically
• Use it to check meta descriptions (aim for 155 characters) or tweets (280 characters)
• Reading time helps you optimize blog post length for your audience

Why Word Count Matters

SEO

Search engines tend to favor comprehensive content. For competitive keywords, blog posts between 1,500 and 2,500 words typically perform well. The word counter helps you hit these targets.

Social Media

Character limits on social platforms mean every word counts. Knowing your exact character count prevents truncated posts and helps you craft tight, impactful messages.

Academic Writing

Word limits on essays, abstracts, and dissertations are strict. Going over (or significantly under) can result in penalties. Our counter helps you stay within bounds.

Email Marketing

Subject lines should be under 60 characters for full display. Email body copy between 50-200 words tends to get the highest engagement.

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Try our free Word Counter to analyze your text instantly.