Word counter
Paste or type your text and this tool counts its words, characters with and without spaces, sentences and paragraphs, and estimates how long it takes to read. Counts update as you type.
It’s for makers writing launch posts, product descriptions and social updates with a length limit. Everything runs in your browser, so your text isn’t sent anywhere.
Free with a ShipScroll account.
How to use the Word Counter
- Paste your text into the box, or start typing.
- Press Count words. From then on, the numbers update as you edit.
- Use characters with spaces for limits like social posts, and words for articles.
- Trim or expand, and watch the counts change.
How the counts work
| Count | What’s counted |
|---|---|
| Words | Runs of letters or numbers. “well-known” and “it’s” count as one word each |
| Characters | Every character, including spaces and punctuation. Emoji count as one |
| Characters, no spaces | The same, without spaces, tabs or line breaks |
| Sentences | Text ending in . ! ? or …, followed by a capital letter or number |
| Paragraphs | Blocks separated by a blank line |
| Reading time | Words divided by 238, rounded, and at least one minute |
Why your count may differ from another tool
Word counters disagree on edge cases: whether a hyphenated word is one or two, whether numbers count, and how they treat URLs and emoji. Differences of a few percent are normal. For a hard limit, such as a form field, trust that form’s own count.
Questions
Is my text saved or sent anywhere?
No. The counting happens in your browser and nothing you type is uploaded. If you sign in first, only the tool you were using is remembered, not your text.
How is reading time worked out?
By dividing the word count by 238 words a minute, the average silent reading speed for non-fiction found in a 2019 review of 190 studies. Readers vary a lot, so treat it as a guide.
Does it count words in other languages?
Yes for languages that put spaces between words. For Chinese or Japanese, which don’t, the character count is the more useful number.
Do social sites count characters the same way?
Not always. Some count a link as a fixed number of characters or treat some emoji as two. Use this as a close guide and check the platform’s own counter before posting.
Related tools
- Reading Time CalculatorHow long a text takes to read, and to say out loud.
- Readability CheckerFlesch reading ease and grade level, plus the sentences to shorten.
- Keyword Density CheckerSee which words and phrases your text repeats most.