Word Counter
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Free Word Counter for Writers, Students and Editors
Counting words by hand wastes time and counting them in a word processor means opening one. Paste the text above and the count updates as you type — in your browser, with nothing sent anywhere.
Features
Counts as you type
Every keystroke updates the word count, character count and reading time, so you can trim to a limit without switching tools.
Nothing leaves your browser
The counter runs entirely on your device. No upload, no account, no log of what you pasted.
Handles any length
A tweet or a thesis chapter — the counter does not care, and there is no paste limit to work around.
How it helps
Hit an exact word limit without guessing
Application essays, journal abstracts and ad copy all come with hard limits, and going over is usually an automatic rejection. Paste the draft, watch the count, and cut until the number is where it needs to be. Because the count updates live, you can see which sentence pushed you over instead of re-checking after every edit.
Estimate reading time before you publish
Reading time is roughly word count divided by 200 words per minute for adult readers of general prose. Knowing the number before you publish tells you whether a post is a two-minute read that belongs in a newsletter or a fifteen-minute piece that needs its own landing page and a table of contents.
By the numbers
- CJK-aware word segmentation
- Intl.Segmenter
- live metrics: words, characters, reading time
- 3
- assumed reading speed
- 200 wpm
What people say
Replace this with a real quote from someone who has agreed to be named.
A good quote is specific: what the count let them catch, and when.
Keep the wording theirs. An edited quote stops being evidence.
How it compares
| This tool | Desktop word processor | Browser extension | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No installation required | yes | no | no |
| No account needed | yes | Varies | Varies |
| Nothing leaves your device | yes | Varies | Varies |
How it works
- 1
Paste your text
Click the box at the top of this page and paste. Typing directly works the same way.
- 2
Read the totals
Word count, character count and an estimated reading time appear under the box and update on every keystroke.
- 3
Edit until the number fits
Trim or expand in place. Nothing is saved, so closing the tab clears everything.
Frequently asked questions
Why word count still matters
Word count is a blunt instrument, but it is the one editors, professors and content briefs all agree on. A 300-word limit is a real constraint even when the ideas would fit better in 500.
The useful move is to treat the number as a budget rather than a target. Draft long, then cut the sentences that repeat a point already made. The count tells you when you are done cutting; it cannot tell you what to cut.