Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences and paragraphs as you type, with unique words, reading time and speaking time for articles, essays and scripts.
0Words
0Characters
0Characters (no spaces)
0Sentences
0Paragraphs
0Unique words
0Reading time
0Speaking time
How to use the Word Counter
- Type or paste your text.
- Read the live counts.
- Use reading time for articles and speaking time for videos or talks.
- Press Copy text or Clear.
Features and benefits
- Words, characters, characters without spaces, sentences, paragraphs and unique words.
- Reading time at 238 words per minute and speaking time at 183, both from published research.
- Counts contractions and hyphenated words as one word.
- Handles very long texts in the browser.
Examples
Contractions and hyphens
- Input
- Don't stop. It's well-known!
- Result
- 4 words, 2 sentences, 28 characters. "Don't", "It's" and "well-known" each count as one word.
A blog post
- Input
- A 1,190-word article
- Result
- Reading time 5 min (238 wpm); speaking time 6 min 30 sec (183 wpm).
Limits and restrictions
- Languages written without spaces, such as Chinese or Japanese, are not split into words accurately.
- Reading speeds are adult averages for English non-fiction; your audience may read faster or slower.
- Images, tables and code take extra time that is not included.
Tips and best practices
- For essays with a limit, check whether your teacher counts headings and references.
- Aim for short paragraphs on the web: two to four sentences each.
- Use the Sentence & Paragraph Counter to find long sentences.
- Time a test read of a video script to find your own speaking speed.
Frequently asked questions
Are numbers counted as words?
Yes. "2026" counts as one word.
Is my text uploaded?
No. Counting happens in your browser and nothing is stored.
Why does my word processor show a different number?
Apps handle hyphens, URLs and symbols differently. Differences of a few words are normal.
How is reading time calculated?
Words ÷ 238 words per minute × 60 seconds, rounded to the nearest second. Speaking time uses 183 words per minute.
What are unique words?
The number of different words, ignoring capital letters. "The" and "the" count once.
Do emoji count as words?
No. Emoji count as characters but not as words.
Related tools
- Character CounterCharacters with and without spaces, plus targets for popular limits.
- Sentence & Paragraph CounterCount sentences and paragraphs and see which paragraphs run long.
- Reading Time CalculatorEstimate reading and speaking time at any words-per-minute speed.
- Keyword Density CheckerSee which words and phrases you repeat most, with clear formulas.