Word Counter

How to use it

Paste or type your text into the box above and every statistic updates as you go: word count, character count, sentence count, paragraph count, estimated reading and speaking time, and keyword density. Word count splits your text on whitespace and counts each run of non-space characters as one word. Sentence count looks for periods, question marks, and exclamation points. Paragraph count tracks blocks of text separated by line breaks. Character count comes in two flavors because different limits count differently. Characters with spaces includes every space, tab, and line break in your text — this is what platforms like SMS and X (Twitter) measure. Characters without spaces strips all whitespace first, which matches what some form validators and word processors report when they only care about actual content length rather than the gaps between it. Reading time is estimated by dividing your word count by an average adult reading speed, commonly cited as 200 to 238 words per minute for silent reading of general text online. Denser or more technical writing reads slower, so treat the estimate as a ballpark rather than a guarantee. Speaking time uses a slower rate, closer to how someone reads text aloud for a script or presentation. Keyword density shows which words appear most often in your text and what percentage of the total word count each one represents, after filtering out common filler words like "the" and "and". It's useful as a quick SEO sanity check — confirming your target keyword actually appears, and isn't so overused that it reads as keyword stuffing. Don't write for the density number: write for readers first, then use the count to catch an accidental overuse. Common places these numbers matter: a post on X is capped at 280 characters (with spaces), an SMS message splits into multiple parts past 160 characters, and Google typically truncates meta descriptions around 155 characters. Essays and applications often set a word minimum or maximum instead — the live word count lets you stay inside it without pasting into a separate tool.

Frequently asked questions

How are words counted?

Words are counted as any run of characters separated by whitespace or a line break — the same method most word processors use. A hyphenated word like "well-known" counts as one word, while punctuation such as a slash or em dash between two words can split them into two, since spaces (not punctuation) define the boundary.

What's the difference between characters with and without spaces?

Characters with spaces counts every character in your text, including the blank spaces between words. Characters without spaces removes those first. Use the with-spaces count for limits that count spaces too, like SMS (160) or a post on X (280); use the without-spaces count when a system strips whitespace before counting.

How is reading time calculated?

Reading time divides your word count by an average reading speed of about 200 to 238 words per minute for adults reading online, then rounds to the nearest half minute. Speaking time uses roughly 130 words per minute, a typical pace for reading text aloud. Both are estimates — actual time varies with how difficult the text is and how familiar the reader is with it.

What is a good keyword density?

Most SEO guidance treats 1–2% as a reasonable density for a primary keyword — roughly once or twice per 100 words. Higher densities risk reading as keyword stuffing to both search engines and human readers. Treat density as a sanity check rather than a target: write naturally first, then use the number to verify no single word is overused.