Type or paste into the box; word count, character count, sentence count, line count, and estimated reading time update live below it - no button to click.
- Click into the text box and start typing, or paste in a block of text.
- The stats line below the box updates on every keystroke: words, characters, characters without spaces, sentences, lines, and an estimated reading time.
- Edit or clear the text at any time; the counts recalculate immediately.
Word Counter
Count the words, characters, sentences, lines, and estimated reading time of any text as you type or paste it in. There is no button to press - the stats line updates on every keystroke.
The six live counts
Word Counter tracks six numbers at once:
- Word count, matched on runs of non-space characters.
- Total character count, including spaces.
- Character count with the spaces stripped out.
- Sentence count, split on periods, exclamation marks, and question marks.
- Line count, split on line breaks.
- Estimated reading time, based on 200 words per minute.
Common use cases
Those six numbers cover most limits writers run into - a platform's character cap, an editor's word-count target, or a rough read-time estimate. Common jobs:
- Check a caption or bio against a character limit.
- Trim an article down to a word-count target.
- Get a quick reading-time estimate before you publish.
It works on a single sentence or a full article pasted in from another editor.
Privacy and data handling
Counting runs entirely in this browser tab using plain JavaScript - nothing you type is uploaded, sent to a server, or saved. Refreshing or leaving the page clears the box; there is no history and no account to create.
For other quick text edits, see the code formatter and beautifier or the JSON parser, both of which run the same way - fully in your browser, with nothing uploaded.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Word Counter do?
It counts words, characters, characters without spaces, sentences, and lines in any text you type or paste, and estimates the reading time - all updated live as you type, with no button to click.
How is the reading time calculated?
It divides the word count by 200 words per minute (a common average adult silent-reading speed) and rounds to the nearest whole minute, with a minimum of 1 minute.
Does it upload or save what I type?
No. Counting runs entirely in your browser using plain JavaScript. Nothing is uploaded, and nothing is saved - refreshing or leaving the page clears the box.
What complementary tools work well alongside Word Counter?
The code formatter and beautifier and the JSON parser handle other quick text edits the same way - fully in your browser, with nothing uploaded.