Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences, lines, and estimated reading time.
Paste or type text to instantly count words, characters (with and without spaces), sentences, lines, and estimated reading time. Unicode-aware and fully local.
Paste or type your text into the box above and the counts for words, characters, sentences, and lines update instantly as you type — no button to click. The estimated reading time appears alongside the other stats, based on your current word count. Everything runs in your browser, so you can safely check drafts, essays, or any text you're working on without it ever leaving your device.
Formula & methodology
Words are whitespace-delimited tokens; characters are counted by Unicode code point. Reading time assumes 200 words per minute.
Worked example
- Hello world → 2 words, 11 characters
Assumptions
- Reading time is estimated from a fixed average of 200 words per minute — a general guide, not a measure of your personal reading speed.
- Words are counted by splitting text on whitespace, so long runs of Chinese or Japanese text without spaces may be counted as a single "word" — use the character count for a more accurate sense of CJK text length.
- Sentence count is based on punctuation (., !, ?, and their full-width equivalents), so abbreviations, ellipses, or missing end punctuation can make the count higher or lower than expected.
Frequently asked questions
How is reading time estimated?
It assumes an average reading speed of 200 words per minute, rounded up.
Why does my word count seem low for Chinese or Japanese text?
Word counting splits text on spaces, and CJK writing typically has no spaces between words, so a whole sentence can be counted as a single word. The character count is a more reliable measure for these languages.
Does this count characters with or without spaces?
Both — the tool shows a character count that includes spaces and a separate count with spaces removed, so you can check against whichever limit applies to you.
Is my text saved or sent anywhere?
No. All counting happens locally in your browser, and your text is never uploaded, stored, or sent to a server.
Why doesn't my sentence count match what I expected?
Sentences are detected using end punctuation like periods, exclamation points, and question marks. Abbreviations, unusual formatting, or missing punctuation can throw the count off.
Privacy
All processing happens locally in your browser. Your data is never uploaded.