Free Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs as you type. Your text stays in your browser — nothing is sent to a server.
Why word count and character count matter
Word and character counts are the difference between content that fits and content that gets cut. Every platform, form field, and assignment that accepts text has a limit of some kind — sometimes enforced by a hard character cap, sometimes by convention, sometimes by the practical reality of how much text a reader will engage with before stopping.
The character count is the most precise measure for social media work because platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, and YouTube each enforce specific character limits that vary by field. A bio that is 151 characters does not fit Instagram's 150-character limit. A tweet that is 281 characters fails to post on X. A YouTube video title that is 101 characters gets truncated in search results. Knowing the exact count before you paste into the field prevents wasted trips back to edit.
Word count matters for longer content — blog posts, captions with a minimum length requirement, school and university assignments, application essays, product descriptions with SEO word targets. Checking word count early in the writing process tells you how far you are from a target and whether you are writing toward it or away from it.
Sentence and paragraph counts are softer metrics but genuinely useful for readability. Short sentences and short paragraphs read faster and more clearly on screen, especially on mobile. If your sentence count is very low relative to your word count, your sentences are probably too long. If your paragraph count is very low relative to your sentence count, your blocks of text are probably too dense for comfortable mobile reading.
How to use the word counter
- Type or paste your text into the box above. The counter accepts up to 10,000 characters — long enough for any social post, bio, essay, or product description.
- All four counts update in real time as you type. No button required.
- Check the counts against your target. Compare the character count against your platform's limit, the word count against an assignment minimum, or the sentence length ratio against your readability goal.
- Edit your text to hit the target. Trim from the bottom if you are over a limit. Add more specific detail if you are under a word count target.
- Copy the final version from the text box when the counts look right, and paste it into your destination.
The counter runs entirely in your browser. No text is sent to a server. Nothing is logged or stored.
Frequently asked questions
Does this tool save my writing?
No. The counting happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. The page does not use a server for any calculation, and no text is saved, transmitted, or logged anywhere. If you close the tab or refresh the page, your text is gone — paste a copy somewhere else if you want to keep it.
How are words counted?
Words are separated by whitespace. Multiple spaces count as one separator. This gives a practical count that matches what most people intuitively expect from a word count for everyday sentences, captions, notes, and drafts.
What counts as a paragraph?
A paragraph is a non-empty block of text separated from the next block by a blank line. Single line breaks without a blank line between them do not create a new paragraph in the counter.