Word Count
Count the exact number of words in your text, with an estimated reading time, updated live as you type.
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Words
0
Characters
< 1 min
Reading Time
Recommended Settings
Pro Tips
- •The count updates live as you type or paste, so you can track your progress toward a word count goal
- •Reading time is estimated at 200 words per minute, a common average adult reading speed
- •A 'word' is any sequence of characters separated by whitespace, so hyphenated-words count as one
- •Useful for essays, articles, scripts, or any writing with a target word count
Most Popular
Most users paste a full draft to check its word count against an assignment or publishing requirement
When to Use This Tool
Check that a written assignment meets a minimum or maximum word count.
Verify a blog post or article hits a target word count for search optimization.
Use the reading time estimate to gauge how long a script will take to deliver.
Monitor word count while drafting a longer piece of writing.
How It Works
Split the text on whitespace to count individual words
Estimate reading time based on an average reading speed of 200 words per minute
Update both figures live as you type or paste
100% Private
Files never leave your device. All processing happens locally in your browser.
Lightning Fast
Powered by Client-side text parsing for optimal performance on modern browsers.
Open Source
Built with verified, open-source libraries. Fully transparent.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a 'word' defined?
Any sequence of non-whitespace characters separated by spaces or line breaks counts as one word, so hyphenated words and contractions count as a single word each.
How is reading time calculated?
It's estimated using an average adult reading speed of about 200 words per minute - actual reading time varies by content difficulty and individual reading speed.
Is my data sent to a server?
No. Counting happens entirely in your browser as you type.
Does this match Microsoft Word's word count?
It should be very close, though minor differences can occur depending on how each tool handles punctuation, hyphens, and special characters.
Is there a word limit for this tool?
No, you can paste text of any length - the count will simply reflect however much you enter.