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Word Counter
Words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, reading time, and the page count they add up to — updated as you type.
Word counter
Reading time appears as you type.
Most-used words
Common words are ignored. High repetition of one term is usually what a marker means by "repetitive phrasing".
- Nothing to count yet.
Your text never leaves the browser
Counting happens on this page, in your own browser. Nothing is uploaded, stored, or sent anywhere, which matters when the text is an unsubmitted assignment. Close the tab and it is gone.
That also means it works offline once the page has loaded, and there is no size limit beyond what your device can hold.
Why this count may differ from Word by a word or two
Word processors disagree with each other about edge cases. A hyphenated compound like state-of-the-art is one word here, as it is in Microsoft Word. Numbers count as words. An em dash between words does not create one.
Where tools diverge most is text with citations, headers, and footnotes: Word can be set to include or exclude them. If a submission has a hard limit, check which parts your instructor counts before trusting any single figure.
- Hyphenated compounds count as one word.
- Numerals count as words.
- Contractions such as don't count as one word.
- Abbreviations with periods do not end a sentence, so Dr. Smith stays in one sentence.
Reading time and speaking time
Reading time uses 238 words per minute, the average for adult silent reading of English prose in Brysbaert's 2019 review of nearly two hundred studies. Speaking time uses 130 words per minute, which is the pace of a prepared, rehearsed talk rather than conversation.
For a presentation, the speaking figure is the one that matters. A five-minute slot is roughly 650 words — considerably less than most people write for it.
What the most-used words list is for
The panel below the counter lists your most frequent content words with common words removed. It is a quick check on repetition, which is one of the most common comments on a returned draft.
A content word appearing in more than about three percent of your text usually reads as repetitive. Seeing it listed is often enough to prompt a rewrite of two or three sentences.
Related tools and guides
- Words to pages converter How long that is on paper
- Page margins and layout The settings the page count depends on
- Citation generator APA, MLA, and Chicago
Frequently asked questions
Is this word counter free?
Yes, and there is no account. It runs entirely in your browser, so there is nothing to pay for and nothing to sign up to.
Is my text uploaded anywhere?
No. The counting happens in your browser. The text is never sent to a server, which is why the tool keeps working if you go offline.
Does it count hyphenated words as one or two?
One, matching Microsoft Word. State-of-the-art counts as a single word.
How is reading time calculated?
At 238 words per minute for silent reading and 130 words per minute for speaking aloud from a prepared text.
Why does my word processor show a different number?
Processors differ on whether headings, citations, footnotes, and text boxes are included. Check which parts your instructor counts if a limit is strict.
Is there a limit on how much text I can paste?
No fixed limit. Because the work happens locally, the only constraint is your own device.
Can it count characters with and without spaces?
Yes, both are shown. Application forms usually mean characters including spaces unless they say otherwise.