Word Counter
Paste or type your text below to see word count, character count, sentence count, and estimated reading time — updated as you type.
Standard Word & Character Limits
Writing to a specific limit? Here are the common caps and targets for popular platforms and formats — paste your text above and compare against the count.
| Platform / format | Limit or target |
|---|---|
| X (Twitter) post | 280 characters |
| Instagram caption (before "…more") | ~125 characters |
| Facebook post (best engagement) | 40–80 characters |
| Google meta description | 150–160 characters |
| Google title tag | 50–60 characters |
| SMS text message (single segment) | 160 characters |
| College admission essay | 250–650 words |
| Graduate personal statement | 500–1,000 words |
| Standard 5-paragraph essay | ~500 words |
| Blog post (SEO-friendly) | 1,000–2,000+ words |
FAQ
How is word count calculated?
Words are counted by splitting the text on whitespace — any run of letters, numbers, or punctuation between spaces counts as one word. This matches how word processors like Word or Google Docs count, so the numbers should line up closely.
How is reading time estimated?
Reading time is based on an average adult reading speed of around 200–250 words per minute for silent reading of standard text. It's an estimate — actual reading speed varies a lot depending on the reader and how dense the material is.
Why do I need a character count with a limit?
Character counts matter for platforms with hard limits — X/Twitter posts, meta descriptions for SEO, text messages, and some form fields all cap input by character rather than word count.
Does this tool store or upload my text?
No — the counting happens directly in your browser. Nothing you type or paste is sent anywhere or saved.
What is the character limit for a Twitter/X post?
280 characters per post. Paste your draft above and watch the character count to stay under the limit.
What's the ideal length for an Instagram caption?
Instagram truncates captions to about 125 characters before showing "…more," so the most important part of your caption should land in that first 125 characters even if the full caption runs longer.
How long should a meta description be for SEO?
Aim for 150–160 characters. Google typically truncates meta descriptions longer than that in search results.
How many words is a typical college essay?
Most college admission essays run 250–650 words (the Common App essay caps at 650). Graduate school personal statements are usually longer, around 500–1,000 words.
How many words are on a page?
As a rough rule, a single-spaced page of 12-point text holds about 500 words and a double-spaced page about 250. Margins, fonts and headings change this.
How many words is a 5-minute speech?
Around 650 to 750 words at a speaking pace of 130 to 150 words a minute. A slower, more deliberate delivery will need fewer.
Why is my word count different in Word or Google Docs?
Programs make different choices about hyphenated words, symbols standing alone, and numbers. This counter splits on spaces, so a standalone dash or symbol counts as a word. Differences are usually small.
About this tool
This counter tracks words, characters (with and without spaces), sentences, paragraphs, and estimated reading time, all updating live as you type or paste. Useful for essays, social posts with character limits, SEO meta descriptions, or just checking how long something is before you send it.
How the counts are worked out
The counter uses simple, predictable rules that you can check by hand. Words are groups of characters separated by spaces or line breaks. Sentences are counted by full stops, question marks and exclamation marks that are followed by a space or the end of the text. Paragraphs are blocks separated by a blank line. Reading time divides the word count by 225 words per minute and rounds up to the next whole minute.
For this sample of two short paragraphs, the counter reports 28 words, 156 characters (128 without spaces), 5 sentences and 2 paragraphs, with a reading time of 1 minute.
| Text | Words | Sentences | Characters |
|---|---|---|---|
Hello world. | 2 | 1 | 12 |
well-known | 1 | 0 | 10 |
3.50 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
Dr. Smith arrived. | 3 | 2 | 18 |
Wait... what?! | 2 | 2 | 14 |
Hyphenated words count as one word, and a decimal such as 3.50 is not treated as the end of a sentence because no space follows the full stop. An abbreviation such as "Dr." followed by a space is counted as a sentence end, so sentence counts for text with many abbreviations can run high. A run of punctuation like "?!" counts once.
Reading and speaking time
| Words | Reading time (225 wpm) | Speaking time (about 150 wpm) | Approx. pages, single-spaced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0.4 min | 0.7 min | 0.2 |
| 300 | 1.3 min | 2.0 min | 0.6 |
| 500 | 2.2 min | 3.3 min | 1.0 |
| 1,000 | 4.4 min | 6.7 min | 2.0 |
| 1,500 | 6.7 min | 10.0 min | 3.0 |
| 2,500 | 11.1 min | 16.7 min | 5.0 |
| 5,000 | 22.2 min | 33.3 min | 10.0 |
Adults read silently at roughly 200 to 250 words per minute on average, and speak at about 130 to 160 words per minute, so a five-minute talk needs around 650 to 750 words. The speaking figure is a rough guide: slides, pauses and questions all add time.
Tips for writing to a word count
- Plan the structure first. Divide the total among sections, for example a 1,000-word essay might use 100 for the introduction, 800 across the body and 100 for the conclusion.
- Cut padding, not substance. Phrases such as "in order to", "due to the fact that" and "it is important to note that" can usually be shortened.
- Check what counts. Some assignments exclude titles, references and quotations from the limit. Follow the instructions you were given.
- Allow a margin. Many institutions allow about 10% either side of a target, but confirm this before relying on it.
- Different tools count differently. Word processors may handle hyphens, numbers and symbols a little differently from this counter, so a difference of a few words is normal.