What this tool counts
- Words: groups of characters separated by spaces or line breaks.
- Characters: every letter, number, space and symbol. A second figure shows the count without spaces.
- Sentences: text ending in a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark.
- Paragraphs: blocks of text separated by a blank line.
Reading and speaking time
Reading time is based on an average adult speed of about 200 words per minute. Speaking time uses about 130 words per minute, which is a comfortable pace for a speech or a voice-over. These are estimates and vary by person and subject.
Typical length targets
- Tweet or post: short posts often work best under 280 characters.
- Meta description: about 150 to 160 characters.
- Short essay: 500 to 1,000 words.
- Blog article: 800 to 2,000 words.
Tips for tighter writing
- Cut filler words such as "very", "really" and "just".
- Prefer short sentences. Aim for an average of 15 to 20 words.
- Read your text aloud and shorten anything that makes you run out of breath.
Frequently asked questions
Is my text stored anywhere?
No. The text stays in your browser and is never uploaded.
Why does another tool show a slightly different word count?
Programs treat hyphens, numbers and symbols differently. Small differences are normal.