The Word Counter tells you exactly how much you have written. Type or paste your text and it instantly counts the words, characters (with and without spaces), sentences, and paragraphs, and estimates how long the text takes to read and to say aloud. Every number updates live as you type.
It also shows keyword density — the words you use most often and how frequently — which is handy for writing, SEO, and staying inside length limits for essays, assignments, social posts, and meta descriptions. Everything is calculated in your browser, so your text is never uploaded or stored.
How to count words and characters
- Type directly in the box, or paste text with the Paste button.
- Read the live counts at the top: words, characters, characters without spaces, sentences, paragraphs, and reading time.
- Scroll down to see the keyword density — your most-used words and their percentage of the text.
- Click Clear to empty the box and start again. Nothing you type leaves your device.
What it counts
- Words — any run of non-space characters, matching how word processors count.
- Characters — every character including spaces, and a separate count without spaces.
- Sentences — text segments ending in a full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark.
- Paragraphs — blocks of text separated by a blank line.
- Reading time — based on an average reading speed of about 225 words per minute.
- Speaking time — based on an average speaking pace of about 130 words per minute.
Why word and character counts matter
Many things you write have limits. Essays and assignments often specify a word count, meta descriptions work best around 150–160 characters, and social platforms cap posts by characters. A word counter lets you check length as you write instead of guessing.
Keyword density is useful for SEO and clear writing: it shows whether you are repeating a term too often (keyword stuffing) or whether your main topic actually appears enough. Aim for natural phrasing rather than forcing an exact percentage.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the word counter count words?
It counts each group of characters separated by spaces or line breaks, the same way word processors like Microsoft Word and Google Docs do. Numbers and hyphenated words each count as one word.
What is the difference between characters with and without spaces?
“Characters” counts everything you type including spaces, tabs, and line breaks. “Characters (no spaces)” counts only the visible characters, which is what some forms and limits refer to.
How is reading time calculated?
Reading time is estimated from an average adult reading speed of roughly 225 words per minute; speaking time uses about 130 words per minute. These are averages — your own pace may differ.
Is my text private?
Yes. All counting happens locally in your browser using JavaScript. Your text is never sent to a server, saved, or logged — it stays on your device.
What is keyword density?
Keyword density is how often a word appears relative to the total word count, shown as a percentage. This tool lists your most-used content words (ignoring common filler words like “the” and “and”) so you can see what your text emphasises.