Word Counter – words, characters, sentences and reading time
Paste text to count words, characters with and without spaces, sentences and paragraphs, plus an estimated reading time. Private.
How to use
- Paste text into the box. Counts update instantly as you type or edit.
- Use the checkbox to switch the main character figure between with and without spaces.
- Check the reading and speaking times when preparing a talk, an essay, or a product description with a length limit.
About this tool
Words are counted as runs of letters, numbers or symbols separated by spaces or line breaks, so hyphenated words count once and "e.g." counts as one word. Sentences are split on periods, question marks and exclamation points followed by a space or the end of the text. Paragraphs are blocks separated by blank lines.
Reading time assumes about 230 words per minute, a typical adult silent reading pace for everyday text; speaking time assumes about 150 words per minute, a comfortable presentation pace. Both are estimates. The most frequent words list ignores very common short words so the topic words stand out. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
FAQ
Do numbers and symbols count as words?
Yes. Anything separated by whitespace counts as a word, so "2025" or "&" each count as one. Most word processors behave the same way, so the totals should match closely.
Why does my sentence count look off?
Abbreviations like "Dr." or "U.S." can end a sentence early in any simple counter, and text without final punctuation counts as one sentence. The count is a good guide for ordinary prose but not exact for every style.
Is there a limit on how much text I can paste?
No fixed limit. Very long documents (hundreds of thousands of words) may take a moment to update, because the counting happens on your device.
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