Word Counter – Words, Characters & Reading Time
Count words and characters as you type, plus sentences, paragraphs, reading time, and keyword density. Perfect for essays, articles, social posts, and SEO. Free, no sign-up, and everything runs in your browser — nothing is stored or uploaded.
Keyword density
Start typing to see your most-used keywords.
This free word counter counts your words and characters the moment you type or paste text — no button to press and no waiting. Alongside the word and character totals, it shows sentences, paragraphs, estimated reading and speaking time, and the keywords you use most. It is made for writers, students, bloggers, marketers, and anyone who has to hit a length target or trim text to fit a limit. Whether you are keeping an essay under a word count, fitting a meta description into 160 characters, or checking a caption against a social media limit, you get the numbers instantly. Nothing is stored on a server — everything runs in your browser, and your text stays saved locally so it is still there when you come back. Paste your text above and watch the counts update as you go.
What does this tool do?
It analyzes your text in real time and reports the metrics that matter most:
- Words and characters (with and without spaces).
- Sentences and paragraphs.
- Reading time and speaking time estimates.
- Average word length and the longest word.
- Keyword density — your most-used words and how often they appear.
Why use this tool?
Most writing has a limit attached to it: an essay word count, a 160-character meta description, a 280-character post, a headline that must stay short. Guessing wastes time and risks going over. A word counter removes the guesswork — you see exactly where you stand as you write, so you can tighten or expand with confidence. The keyword density view adds an SEO angle: it flags words you may be overusing, which helps you keep content natural rather than repetitive.
How the tool works
- Words are counted as groups of non-space characters, so hyphenated terms and contractions each count as one.
- Characters are counted two ways: every character including spaces, and again without any whitespace.
- Sentences are detected by end punctuation (period, question mark, exclamation mark).
- Paragraphs are blocks of text separated by a blank line.
- Reading time assumes about 200 words per minute; speaking time assumes about 130 words per minute — the common averages for silent reading and spoken delivery.
- Keyword density counts how often each meaningful word appears (short filler words are ignored) and shows it as a percentage of total words.
How to use the tool
- Type directly in the box, or paste text you have already written.
- Watch the counts update live as you edit — there is no submit button.
- Check the metric you care about: word count for a limit, characters for a meta description, reading time for a speech.
- Scan the keyword density list to spot any word you are overusing.
- Use Copy to grab your text, or Clear to start again. Your text is saved in your browser for next time.
Practical examples
Essay with a word limit
A student writing a 1,500-word essay pastes each draft in and trims until the word count lands in range, without counting by hand.
SEO meta description
A marketer keeps a meta description under 160 characters by watching the character count as they rewrite it.
Social media caption
A creator checks a caption against a platform's character limit before posting, avoiding awkward truncation.
Speech or presentation
A speaker uses the speaking-time estimate to see whether a script fits a five-minute slot, then cuts to fit.
Common use cases
- Students & academics: essays, dissertations, and assignments with strict word limits.
- Writers & bloggers: hitting a target length and checking pacing with reading time.
- Marketers & SEO: meta titles, descriptions, and ad copy that must fit character limits.
- Social media managers: captions and posts that respect platform limits.
- Speakers: scripts timed to a slot using the speaking-time estimate.
Tips & best practices
- Use character count (not word count) for meta descriptions, tweets, and SMS — those limits are character-based.
- Treat reading and speaking times as estimates; dense or technical text reads slower.
- If a keyword's density looks high, swap in synonyms to keep the writing natural and reader-friendly.
- Paste plain text if you want an exact count — formatting from documents can add hidden characters.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a word counted?
A word is any group of characters separated by spaces or line breaks. Hyphenated words like "well-known" and contractions like "don't" each count as a single word.
What is the difference between characters with and without spaces?
"Characters" counts everything you type, including spaces and line breaks. "Characters (no spaces)" ignores all whitespace, which is the number many platforms and forms actually limit.
How is reading time calculated?
It divides your word count by about 200 words per minute, the common average for adult silent reading. Speaking time uses about 130 words per minute.
How does it count sentences and paragraphs?
Sentences are detected by ending punctuation — periods, question marks, and exclamation marks. Paragraphs are blocks of text separated by a blank line.
What is keyword density and why does it matter?
It is how often a word appears as a share of your total words. It helps writers and SEOs avoid overusing the same term, which can make text read unnaturally.
Is there a limit on how much text I can paste?
No fixed limit. The counter handles anything from a single sentence to a full article and updates as fast as you type.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes. The layout adapts to phones and tablets, so you can count and check text on any device.
Will my text be saved if I leave the page?
Yes. Your text is stored in your browser's local storage and restored when you return. Clearing your browser data removes it.
Is my text private?
Yes. All counting happens in your browser. Your text is never uploaded to or stored on a server.
Is the word counter free?
Completely free, with no account and no limits on how many times you use it.