Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences and paragraphs instantly.
- Reading time:
- 3 min
- Last updated:
- Price:
- Free, no signup
Type or paste text to see the result.
What the Word Counter does
Paste an essay, article or cover letter and the counter shows the number of words straight away, along with characters, sentences, paragraphs and an estimated reading time. Counts change as you type, so you can watch yourself trim toward a limit.
A word here is any run of characters separated by spaces or line breaks. 'Well-known' counts as one word and '2026' counts as one, which matches how Google Docs and most submission portals count.
Why the Word Counter is useful
Word limits are everywhere: a 650-word college essay, a 300-word grant summary, a 1,500-word guest post. Going over can get a submission rejected, and coming in far under often reads as thin.
Because the tool also gives sentences and paragraphs, you can see why a draft feels heavy — for example 400 words packed into two paragraphs — and fix the shape, not just the length.
Also known as: word counter, count words, word count tool, free word counter, online word counter, word counter online free, word counter tool.
How to use the Word Counter
- 1
Paste your draft
Copy straight from Word, Google Docs or an email. Formatting is ignored; only the text is counted.
- 2
Read the totals
Words and characters sit at the top. Check sentences and paragraphs to judge how dense the piece is.
- 3
Edit in place
Cut or add right in the box and the numbers update as you go, so you know exactly when you hit the target.
Key features
- Live word, character, sentence and paragraph totals
- Reading time estimate at 200 words per minute
- Hyphenated words and numbers counted as single words
- Works with pasted text from any editor
Benefits
- Hit essay and article limits without guessing
- Spot overlong paragraphs before an editor does
- Quick check on a phone without opening a document app
Real-life use cases
College application essay
A student drafting the Common App personal statement checks that the final version lands between 600 and 650 words.
Freelance invoice
A writer paid per word pastes the delivered article to confirm the 1,200-word count before sending the invoice.
Tips for the best results
- Paste the final version only — counting reference notes and headings inflates the total.
- If a portal counts differently, check whether it includes the title and footnotes.
- When cutting, delete whole sentences that repeat a point before trimming single words.
Conclusion
Use the Word Counter whenever a number matters: assignments, submissions, paid articles or social captions. Paste, read the total, edit until it fits.
Frequently asked questions
How many words fit on one page?
- About 500 words single-spaced and 250 double-spaced, using 12pt Times New Roman with 1-inch margins.
Does it count numbers and hyphenated words?
- Yes. '2026' is one word and 'mother-in-law' is one word, the same way Microsoft Word counts them.
Why is my count different from Microsoft Word?
- Small gaps usually come from em dashes without spaces or stray symbols. Word treats 'yes—no' as one word; spacing the dash makes it two.
How is reading time worked out?
- Total words divided by 200, a common average silent reading speed for adults.
Are headings included?
- Everything in the box is counted. Remove headings or references first if your limit excludes them.
Can I count a whole book?
- Yes, there's no cap. A 90,000-word manuscript works, though very old phones may slow down while typing in it.
Related tools you may need
- Unique Word Counter — Count how many distinct words your text contains.
- Word Frequency Counter — See which words appear most often in your text.
- Word Capitalization Tool — Capitalise the first letter of every word instantly.
- Word Separator — Split text into one word per line.
- Character Counter — Count characters with and without spaces — great for tweets and metas.
- Consonant Counter — Count consonants and the consonant ratio.
- Text Statistics Analyzer — One dashboard for every text metric that matters.
- Sentence Counter — Count sentences in your writing with punctuation-aware detection.
Keep exploring
Browse the full tools directory, filter by category, or read guides on the Text Tools Hub blog.