Hello World
A free word counter that counts more than words.
Type or paste your text and get an instant word count, plus characters, sentences, reading time, readability, and keyword density. Everything runs in your browser, so what you write stays with you.
Readability
Add text to score
Flesch reading ease · 0 to 100
- Grade level
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- Unique words
- -
- Avg. word length
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- Avg. sentence length
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- Characters (no spaces)
- -
Reading at 238 wpm · speaking at 130 wpm.
Keyword density
Start typing to see the words and phrases you use most, handy for SEO and cutting repetition.
Platform limits
- X (Twitter) post280 left
- Instagram caption2,200 left
- TikTok caption2,200 left
- LinkedIn post3,000 left
- SMS message160 left
- SEO title tag60 left
- Meta description160 left
- YouTube description5,000 left
Based on plain character counts, updated as you type.
Why this word counter
Everything the paid tools charge for. Free.
Most word counters give you six numbers and a paywall. This one gives you the full breakdown for free, with no account and no premium tier to unlock.
Private by design
Every count runs on your device. Nothing you type is uploaded, logged, or saved to a server. Close the tab and it is gone.
Live counts, always
Words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, reading time, and speaking time update on every keystroke. There is no button to press.
Keyword density
See the words and short phrases you repeat most, with counts and percentages. It is an easy way to catch filler and tune copy for search.
Readability scores
Get your Flesch reading ease and grade level, plus average word and sentence length, so you can write for the right audience.
Platform limits
Watch live progress bars for X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, SMS, and SEO tags, so you always know how much room is left.
Goals and autosave
Set a word count goal and watch the bar fill as you write. Your draft saves in your browser, so a refresh will not wipe it.
Privacy
Your words never leave this tab.
Essays, cover letters, chapters you have not published yet. The text you count is often the text you least want sitting on someone else's server. So we send the counting code to your browser and do the math right there. Open your network tab and watch for yourself. Nothing gets sent.
$ devtools --network --while-typing
requests sent ........ 0
text uploaded ....... 0 bytes
trackers loaded ..... 0
✓ analysis is 100% client-side
How it works
Three steps. No manual.
01
Add your text
Type it out, paste from anywhere, or upload a .txt or .md file. The counter starts on the very first character.
02
Read the numbers
Words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, and time estimates update as you go. Highlight any part to count just that passage.
03
Polish and ship
Check the readability, trim to a platform limit, hit your word goal, then copy or download your finished text.
Built for anyone who counts.
Students
Hit essay minimums and stay under admissions limits. UCAS personal statements cap at 4,000 characters.
Writers and authors
Track chapter goals, spot the words you lean on too much, and keep sentences readable.
SEO and content teams
Tune keyword density and keep title tags under 60 characters.
Social media managers
Write once and check every platform limit at a glance.
Job seekers
Keep cover letters tight and fit LinkedIn summaries in the box.
Researchers
Meet abstract limits. Most journals allow 150 to 300 words.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Is the word counter free to use?
Yes, all of it. There is no premium plan, no account, and no usage limit. Every feature on the page works for everyone, every time you visit.
Do I need to sign up or install anything?
No. There is nothing to download and no account to create. Open the page, start typing, and the word counter runs right in your browser.
Is my text safe to paste here?
It is. All the counting happens in your browser with JavaScript, so your text is never sent to a server or stored anywhere we can reach. The optional autosave keeps a copy in your own browser storage, and the Clear button wipes it.
What is a word counter?
A word counter is a tool that counts the words in a piece of text, usually along with characters, sentences, and paragraphs. You paste or type your text and it gives you the totals right away. This one also adds reading time, readability, and keyword density.
How do you count words?
A word is any run of letters or numbers. Contractions like don't and hyphenated words like well-known each count as one word, which is how Microsoft Word and Google Docs do it. Your total here should match theirs, give or take a word on unusual punctuation.
Do characters include spaces?
The main character count includes spaces, since that is what social platforms and form limits measure. The Readability panel also shows characters without spaces if that is the number you need.
How accurate are the reading and speaking times?
Reading time is based on 238 words per minute and speaking time on 130 words per minute, both drawn from published research on average pace. Your own speed will vary, but it is a solid estimate for planning talks, videos, and posts.
What is the Flesch reading ease score?
It is a score from 0 to 100 that rates how easy your text is to read, based on sentence length and syllables per word. Higher means easier. Above 90 reads like a comic, 60 to 70 is typical web copy, and below 30 is dense academic writing. The grade level says the same thing in US school grades.
Can I count the words in just part of my text?
Yes. Highlight any section and a small bar shows the word and character count for that selection only, without changing the totals for the whole document.
Does it work offline or in other languages?
Once the page has loaded you can go offline and keep counting, since nothing depends on a server. It counts any language that puts spaces between words. The readability scores are tuned for English.