How to use the word counter
- Type or paste your text into the box. The counts update live as you type.
- Read the counts of words, characters with spaces, characters without spaces, sentences and paragraphs.
- Check the estimated reading time (based on 200 words per minute) and speaking time (based on 130 words per minute).
- Look at the top 5 keywords. Common English stop-words such as “the” and “and” are left out, so you see the words that actually describe your topic.
The counting happens in your browser, so your text is not sent anywhere.
How words and sentences are counted
Counting sounds simple, but every counter makes small choices. Is “e-mail” one word or two? Is “Tamil Nadu” two words? (Yes, in most counters.) Does a number like “2026” count as a word? Tools can disagree on cases like these, so expect small differences between this counter, your word processor and a form on another website.
Sentences are harder still. Counters usually look for full stops, question marks and exclamation marks, so abbreviations such as “Dr.” or “e.g.” can look like the end of a sentence. Treat the sentence count as a close guide rather than an exact figure.
Reading and speaking time
Reading time is the word count divided by 200; speaking time is the word count divided by 130. These are commonly used estimates, not measured facts. Real speed depends on the reader, the language, how familiar the topic is and how the text is laid out. Technical writing with code, numbers or new terms is read more slowly than a simple story. A nervous speaker often talks faster than one who has practised.
| Words | Reading time (200 wpm) | Speaking time (130 wpm) |
|---|---|---|
| 300 | about 1.5 minutes | about 2.3 minutes |
| 800 | about 4 minutes | about 6.2 minutes |
| 1,500 | about 7.5 minutes | about 11.5 minutes |
Use these numbers for planning: to check that a talk fits its time slot, or to show a “5 min read” label on a blog post. If timing really matters, read the text aloud and time yourself.
Top keywords and stop-words
Stop-words are very common words such as “the”, “is”, “of” and “to”. They appear in almost every text, so they say nothing about your topic. With them removed, the keyword list shows which meaningful words you use most.
- Check your focus. If you wrote about CSS grid and “grid” is missing from the top five, your main topic may not be clear.
- Spot repetition. If one ordinary word such as “really” or “simple” keeps appearing, vary your wording.
- Do not stuff keywords. Repeating a phrase just to rank does not help. Google’s search guidance treats keyword stuffing as spam. Write for the reader first.
Character counts for titles and descriptions
Character counts are useful wherever space is limited, such as page titles, meta descriptions, social posts and form fields with a maxlength. Search engines cut off long titles and descriptions based on the display width, not a fixed number of characters, so there is no official limit; Google explains how it chooses them in its guides to title links and snippets. Many writers keep titles to about 60 characters and descriptions to about 155 as a rule of thumb, and paste each draft into a word counter to check.
Tip: Shorter is not always better. Write enough to answer the reader’s question fully, then remove anything that does not help.
Learn more
- Semantic HTML for SEO and Accessibility: A Practical Guide
- UX Writing: How to Write Microcopy for Buttons, Errors and Empty States
- 12 Typography Rules for UI Design (with Examples)
- HTML Head, Meta Tags and SEO
- JavaScript DOM Manipulation
- JSON Formatter & Validator
Frequently asked questions
Why is my count different from Microsoft Word or Google Docs?
Each tool has its own rules for hyphens, numbers, symbols and extra spaces. Differences of a few words in a long text are normal.
Are 200 and 130 words per minute accurate?
They are commonly used rule-of-thumb figures, not exact measurements. Your own reading or speaking speed may be noticeably faster or slower. Time yourself if you need a precise number.
Is the text I paste stored or uploaded?
No. The counter runs in your browser, so the text stays on your device.
How many words should a blog post have?
There is no fixed number. A post should be as long as it needs to be to answer the question fully and clearly. Padding a post with filler to reach a word count makes it worse, not better.