How to use the word counter
Simply paste or type your text into the box above. All counts update live as you type — no button needed. Words are counted by splitting on whitespace. Sentences are counted by detecting terminal punctuation (., !, ?). Paragraphs are separated by a blank line. Reading time is estimated at 200 words per minute.
Word count reference guide
A tweet is limited to 280 characters. A typical short email is 50–125 words. A blog post is usually 300–1,000 words. A short story is 1,000–7,500 words. A novella is 17,500–40,000 words. A full novel is 40,000+ words. Academic essays typically require 500–5,000 words depending on level.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the character count include spaces?
Yes — the 'Characters' count includes spaces. The 'Chars (no spaces)' count excludes them. Both are shown side by side.
Is my text stored anywhere?
No. All counting happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your text is never sent to any server.