Word Counter
Free online word counter with live word count, character count, sentence count, paragraph count, and reading time - perfect for essays, SEO articles, and assignments.
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About This Tool
Use this free online word counter to instantly count the words in any text. Paste an essay, SEO article, assignment, or blog draft and get a live word count plus character, sentence, paragraph, and reading-time totals - no signup, no upload, and nothing leaves your browser. It is built for writers and students who need to hit exact word-count targets, whether that is a 500-word essay, a 1,500-word article, or a 250-word abstract.
How to Use
- Paste or type your text into the input box.
- Watch the word count update live as you write or edit.
- Check characters, sentences, paragraphs, and estimated reading time below the word count.
- Trim or expand your text until you hit your target word count.
Examples
College essay
A 500-word essay is about 1 page double-spaced; a 1,000-word essay is roughly 2 pages. Use the live count to land exactly on the assignment limit.
SEO article
Long-form articles that rank often run 1,500-2,500 words. Track word count as you draft each H2 section to keep depth consistent.
Assignment with a strict limit
When an essay must be 'no more than 750 words', the live counter shows when you go over so you can cut filler before submitting.
Abstract or summary
Conference and journal abstracts are commonly capped at 150-300 words - paste your draft to trim it to the exact limit.
Read the full guide
How to Use Word Counter: Complete Guide (2026) - 5 min read
Frequently Asked Questions
- How does the word counter count words?
- The tool counts words by splitting your text on spaces, tabs, and line breaks, then counting each non-empty chunk. Hyphenated words like 'state-of-the-art' count as one word, and numbers and standalone symbols separated by spaces each count as a word. The count updates instantly as you type or paste.
- What is the difference between a word counter and a sentence counter?
- A word counter focuses on the total number of words - the metric most essays, articles, and assignments are measured by. A sentence counter focuses on how many sentences you have, which is useful for readability. This tool shows both, but it leads with word count because that is the limit most writers and students need to hit.
- Is there a word limit for the text I can paste?
- There is no fixed limit. The counter handles short paragraphs and long documents alike. Very large texts (tens of thousands of words) may update a fraction slower depending on your device, but everything still runs locally in your browser.
- How accurate is the reading time estimate?
- Reading time is calculated at 200 words per minute, a common average for adult silent reading. Faster readers manage 250-300 wpm, while dense or technical text is often read at 150-180 wpm, so treat the estimate as a helpful guide rather than an exact figure.
- Does the word counter work offline and keep my text private?
- Yes. Once the page loads, all counting happens entirely in your browser - your text is never uploaded to a server. You can use it offline, and sensitive drafts or assignments stay on your device.
- How many words is one page?
- As a rough guide, one page is about 500 words single-spaced or 250 words double-spaced in a standard 12pt font with 1-inch margins. Exact counts vary with font, spacing, and margins, so use the live word count to match your specific requirement.