Word Count

See the word count update as you type or paste.

FREE - NO SIGN-UP - RUNS ON YOUR DEVICE

Counted in your tab, never uploaded

  • Liveas you type
  • 0uploads
  • 200words a minute
  • Freeno account
Specification

Word Count at a glance

Input
Pasted or typed plain text
Output
Words, characters, sentences, time
Method
Local matching, 200 words a minute
Counts as you edit
Figures follow every edit
Price
Free
Account required
None
Where processing happens
On your device
How to

How to use Word Count

  1. 1

    Paste your draft

    Paste or type the text.

  2. 2

    Read the figures

    Read the counts on screen.

  3. 3

    Trim and watch it move

    Edit until you are under the limit.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Where does the reading time come from?

It divides the word count by 200 words a minute, the pace commonly used for silent reading. Treat it as a rough guide rather than a measurement of any one reader.

Does my text get uploaded?

No. Counting happens in this browser tab. Nothing is sent to a server for processing and nothing is stored in an account.

Does it count characters too?

Yes. Characters, sentences and paragraphs are shown alongside the word count, so one paste answers more than one limit.

Which browsers work?

Current Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari all handle what this uses. A very old browser may be missing a feature the page relies on.

Background

Working to a word limit

Paste a draft or type into the box and the count moves with you. Words, characters, sentences and paragraphs are all on screen at once, with a reading time underneath.

  • Paste the whole piece rather than a section; headings and captions usually count towards a stated limit.
  • A count taken from a word processor can differ slightly, because tools disagree about what a word is.
  • The reading estimate is useful for pacing a talk or a script, not for grading anything.
  • Cut in passes and watch the number fall; it is easier than rewriting to a target in one go.

Full specification

Specification of the Word Count tool
InputPasted or typed plain text.
OutputWords, characters, sentences, paragraphs and reading time.
MethodLocal text matching with a 200-word-per-minute reading estimate.
Counts as you editYes. Change the text and the figures follow without a button press.
PriceFree. Supported by clearly labelled ads outside the working area.
Account requiredNo.
Where processing happensIn your browser tab. Your input is never uploaded.
Next step

Keep going with the same files

All text tools: Text tools on SPOTTOOLS