📝 Word & Character Counter
Paste your text below for an instant word and character count.
How This Works
Word count splits your text on whitespace. Sentences are estimated by counting sentence-ending punctuation (. ! ?). Reading time is estimated at 200 words per minute, a common average adult reading speed. All counting happens instantly in your browser as you type — nothing is sent to a server.
Guide: understanding your result
- Word counts treat any run of characters between spaces as one word; hyphenated words and numbers usually count as one.
- Average adult silent reading speed is roughly 200–250 words per minute; speaking pace for presentations is about 130–150 words per minute.
- Character limits (for example on social posts or meta descriptions) count spaces and punctuation too.
Worked example
A 1,500-word article takes about 6–7½ minutes to read silently and roughly 10–11½ minutes to read aloud.
Typical length targets
| Format | Common target |
|---|---|
| College application essay (Common App) | up to 650 words |
| Search result title | about 50–60 characters |
| Meta description | about 150–160 characters |
| Short speech (5 minutes) | about 650–750 words |
Always follow the specific limit stated by the school, publisher or platform.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming every tool counts the same way — URLs, hyphens and contractions are handled differently.
- Ignoring whether a limit counts characters with or without spaces.
Frequently asked questions
Is my text saved?
No. Counting happens in your browser; the text is not sent to our server.
Official sources
Examples are calculated live from the same data the calculator uses and are for education only — they are not financial, tax or investment advice.
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