Whether you are writing an article for your blog, an assignment for university or a caption for Instagram, length matters. Editors ask for 1000 words, Google cuts descriptions after about 160 characters and X limits posts by characters. A word counter answers all of these questions instantly.
What our word counter shows
Our Word Counter updates live while you type or paste text and shows:
- Words
- Characters with and without spaces
- Sentences
- Paragraphs
- Reading time at about 230 words per minute
- Speaking time at about 140 words per minute, great for speeches and videos
- Average words per sentence
- Top words you use most often
How to use it
- Open the Word Counter.
- Start typing or paste your text.
- Watch the numbers update instantly.
There is no button to press and nothing is uploaded. Everything runs in your browser.
Useful length targets
- Blog posts: 800 to 2000 words depending on the topic
- Product descriptions: 150 to 400 words
- Meta descriptions: about 150 characters
- Title tags: about 60 characters
- YouTube descriptions: up to 5000 characters, with the first 150 most important
- Speeches: a 5 minute talk is about 700 words
Why average sentence length matters
Long sentences are harder to read, especially on mobile. If your average is above 20 words per sentence, break some sentences up. For a full analysis use the Readability Checker, which also calculates Flesch Reading Ease and grade level.
Spot repeated words
The top words list shows which words you rely on too much. If very or really appears ten times in a short article, replace some with stronger words. For SEO focused analysis of phrases, use the Keyword Density Checker.
Students and job seekers
The word counter is also handy outside SEO. Students use it to meet assignment limits, job seekers use it to keep cover letters under one page and content writers use it to confirm they delivered the length a client paid for. Because nothing is stored, you can safely paste private drafts.
A writer's routine
Many freelance writers I know keep the word counter open in a browser tab while they work. They paste each section as they finish it to track progress against the target. When a client asks for 1200 words, they aim for about 1300 in the first draft and then trim weak sentences during editing. The speaking time is also useful for YouTubers who write scripts, because a ten minute video needs roughly 1400 spoken words.
Length is not the only goal
Hitting a word target is useful, but every sentence should earn its place. After reaching your length, read the text again and cut anything repetitive. A focused 900 word article that answers the question completely usually performs better than a padded 1500 word article. Use the counter to check, then use your judgement to edit.
Social media limits
For social posts, the character count matters more than words. X posts are limited by characters, Instagram captions are cut after a couple of lines in the feed and Facebook shows only the start of long posts. Keep your hook in the first 125 characters so people see it before tapping more.
Frequently asked questions
Is my text saved anywhere
No. The counting happens in your browser and nothing is sent to a server.
Does it count Urdu text
Yes, it counts words in Urdu and other languages, although reading time is based on English averages.
How is reading time calculated
It divides the word count by an average reading speed of about 230 words per minute.
Count your words now with the free Word Counter.