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Free word counter and character counter
Paste or type your text to count words, characters, sentences and paragraphs, see how long it takes to read, and check it against the limits for X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and SMS. Works in English and Urdu. Free, no signup, and your text never leaves your browser.
- Words and characters
- Reading time
- Platform limits
Your text
Type or paste. The counts update as you go.Set a limit (optional)
Your counts
Platform limits (characters)
Limits can change, and some accounts get more. Meta title, meta description and SMS figures are common guides, not strict rules.
Most used words
| Word | Times | Share |
|---|
How the counts are worked out
A word is any group of letters or numbers separated by spaces. Characters with spaces counts everything you typed, including spaces and line breaks. Characters without spaces leaves them out. A sentence ends at a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark, and a paragraph is a block of text separated by a blank line.
Everything is calculated in your browser while you type, so there is no waiting and no upload.
Common length guides
These are typical figures, not rules. Check the platform or your teacher or client when the limit really matters.
| Content | Typical length |
|---|---|
| Meta title for Google | About 50 to 60 characters |
| Meta description | About 120 to 160 characters |
| X post (standard account) | Up to 280 characters |
| Instagram caption | Up to 2,200 characters |
| Short blog post | Often 600 to 1,000 words |
| Detailed guide | Often 1,500 words or more, when the topic needs it |
Writing for the web?
Check your titles and descriptions with our meta description generator, and pick tags for your posts with the hashtag generator.
Need content written for you?
Length is only one part of good content. If you want pages that rank and posts that bring customers, see our SEO and social media services.
See our servicesWord counter questions
Does the counter include spaces in the character count?
It shows both. Characters with spaces counts everything you typed. Characters without spaces leaves out spaces, tabs and line breaks. Check which one your platform or assignment uses.
How is reading time worked out?
We divide your word count by 200 words a minute, a common average for silent reading. Speaking time uses 130 words a minute. Real speed varies from person to person.
Does the word counter work for Urdu?
Yes. Words are separated by spaces, so Urdu and other languages that use spaces are counted too. The Urdu full stop and question mark are also recognised when counting sentences.
Is my text saved or sent anywhere?
No. The counting happens in your browser. Your text is not uploaded, stored or seen by us, and it disappears when you close or refresh the page.
Does an emoji count as one character?
Usually yes, in this counter. Some platforms count emojis as two or more characters, so leave yourself a little room when you are close to a limit.
Does Google need a minimum number of words on a page?
No. Google has said it does not use word count as a ranking factor. A page should be as long as it needs to be to answer the question well, and no longer.