How to use this tool
- Type or paste your text into the box.
- Watch the word, character and sentence counts update as you write.
- Check the keyword table to spot words you have repeated too often.
How words and characters are counted
A word is any run of letters or numbers, including words joined by hyphens or apostrophes like "well-known" or "don't". Characters include every letter, number, space and punctuation mark. The "no spaces" figure is what some universities and translation agencies use for limits.
Reading and speaking time
Reading time assumes an average adult silent reading speed of about 238 words per minute. Speaking time uses 150 words per minute, a comfortable pace for a speech or presentation. A 750-word speech takes about five minutes to deliver.
Common length limits
Search engines usually show around 50–60 characters of a page title and about 155 characters of a meta description. A post on X allows 280 characters for most accounts. UCAS personal statements in the UK and many US college essays have strict limits, so it pays to check before you submit.
Keyword density
The keyword table lists your most used words, leaving out filler words like "the" and "and". If one word shows up far more than others, try a synonym so the writing reads more naturally.
Want to hear how a speech or essay sounds? Paste it into the text to speech tool to have it read aloud.
Frequently asked questions
How many words is a page?
Roughly 500 words single-spaced or 250 words double-spaced, in a 12-point font.
Does the word counter save my text?
No. The text stays in your browser and is never uploaded.
How long does it take to read 1,000 words?
About four minutes at an average reading speed, or close to seven minutes read aloud.
Are numbers counted as words?
Yes. A number like 2026 counts as one word, as most word processors do.