Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs — with reading and speaking time
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Words
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Characters
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Characters (no spaces)
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Sentences
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Paragraphs
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Reading Time
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Speaking Time
Counts update as you type. Reading time assumes ~250 words per minute (silent) and speaking ~130 wpm. Everything runs in your browser — your text is never uploaded.
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Quick summary
Paste or type text to instantly see words, characters (with and without spaces), sentences, paragraphs, and estimated reading time (about 250 words per minute) and speaking time (about 130 words per minute). Counts update live as you type. It's handy for essays with word limits, articles, social posts, and speeches. Your text is analyzed in your browser and never uploaded.
Reviewed by Simple Calculators TeamLast reviewed
How to use this calculator
- Type or paste your text into the Your Text box.
- Read the Words, Characters, Characters (no spaces), Sentences, and Paragraphs counts — they update with every change.
- Check Reading Time and Speaking Time to see how long the text takes to read silently or to deliver aloud.
- Edit the text and watch the counts change to hit a word or character limit.
- Press Reset to clear the box when you're done.
Frequently asked questions
How does the word counter work?
It splits your text on spaces and line breaks and counts each resulting chunk as a word. Characters include every letter, space, and line break; a second count excludes all whitespace. Sentences end at a period, exclamation point, or question mark followed by a space (so decimals like 3.14 don't split), at a blank line, or at the end of your text — so a last sentence without punctuation still counts. Paragraphs are blocks separated by a blank line. Everything recalculates as you type or paste.
Is my text private?
Yes. All counting happens in your browser with JavaScript, and your text is never sent to a server or logged. So that a page refresh doesn't wipe your draft, a copy is kept in this browser tab's session storage until you close the tab or press Reset. That makes it suitable for confidential drafts, essays, and work documents.
How long does it take to read 1,000 words?
About 4 minutes at an average silent reading speed of 250 words per minute, which is the rate this tool uses for Reading Time. A 500-word post takes about 2 minutes, and a 2,500-word article about 10. Dense or technical text reads more slowly, so treat the estimate as a typical reader's pace.
How long is a 1,000-word speech?
About 7 minutes and 42 seconds at 130 words per minute, the conversational speaking pace this tool uses for Speaking Time. A 5-minute talk works out to roughly 650 words. Pauses, slides, and audience interaction add time, so trim your draft a little if you have a hard limit.
How many words is a typical page or essay?
A double-spaced page in a 12-point font holds roughly 250–300 words, and a single-spaced page about 500, depending on the font, margins, and paragraph breaks. So a 1,000-word essay is around two single-spaced pages or three to four double-spaced ones. For a strict limit, rely on the word count rather than the page count.
Does it count characters with or without spaces?
Both. Characters includes every space and line break, while Characters (no spaces) removes all whitespace. Most platform limits, such as the 280-character limit for a post on X, count spaces, so use the first number for those. For checking text against several common platform limits at once, use the character counter.
What counts as a word?
Any run of characters between spaces or line breaks counts as one word. Hyphenated terms like "well-known" count once, numbers such as 2026 count as words, and a dash surrounded by spaces counts as its own word. Word processors use slightly different rules, so counts can differ by a few words on long documents.
Key terms
- Word
- A run of characters separated by spaces or line breaks.
- Reading Time
- Estimated minutes to read the text at ~250 words per minute.
- Paragraph
- A block of text separated from others by a blank line.
Methodology, sources & limitations
This page shows the formula, assumptions, and limitations used for this estimate. Rates, thresholds, and other time-sensitive inputs can change, so verify them against the relevant official source before relying on a result.
For our review approach and the primary sources we consult, see the methodology and source policy. If you spot an outdated figure or formula, please contact us with a correction.