Word & Character Counter

How to use this tool

1. Paste or type your text. Paste your document into the text area. Results update automatically as you type.
2. Read the stats. Word count, character count, platform-limit indicators, sentences, paragraphs, lines, reading time, and speaking time appear as you type.
3. Adjust reading speed (optional). If your audience reads faster or slower than average, change the words-per-minute value to get a more accurate time estimate.

How word count varies by counting method

"Word count" sounds like a single number, but different tools and style guides count differently. This counter uses whitespace-separated tokens that contain at least one letter or digit. That means "hello," counts as one word (the comma is attached but stripped for counting), and "---" counts as zero words (no alphanumeric characters).

Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and most publishing tools use similar rules, but they differ on edge cases such as hyphenated compounds, contractions ("don't"), and words made of numbers only ("2024"). Here, "self-aware" and "don't" each count as one word, and numeric tokens like "42" count as words. Han, Hiragana, Katakana, and Hangul characters count individually; this simple convention is not full linguistic word segmentation.

Reading speed averages

The default reading speed of 200 words per minute is a frequently cited average for adult silent reading of ordinary prose. The range across adults is wide: slow readers manage around 100–150 wpm, average adults 200–250 wpm, and speed readers above 300 wpm, though comprehension tends to drop at the high end. Academic reading of dense material is slower, often 100–150 wpm.

Speaking time uses 130 wpm, close to a natural conversational pace. Presenters typically speak at 120–150 wpm; auctioneers and fast talkers push above 250 wpm. For scripted speeches and presentations, 125–150 wpm gives enough time for emphasis and breathing without rushing.

Use the speed controls below the stats to calibrate for your audience. A technical talk for experts can move faster than a keynote for a general audience.

Character count use cases

The live indicators above compare your text's Unicode code-point count with common raw character ceilings. They are useful for drafting, but platform rules can differ: X applies special weighting to URLs, and SMS segment limits depend on the message encoding. Use a Social Character Counter for X's weighted post length and consult your carrier for SMS details.

Readability scores

This counter reports word and sentence statistics but does not calculate a readability score. For Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch–Kincaid grade level, and four other readability formulas, use the Reading Level Estimator.

Academic word count guidelines