Word Counter
Paste or type text to count words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs — plus reading and speaking time estimates. Nothing leaves your browser.
| Sentences | 0 |
| Paragraphs | 0 |
| Avg words / sentence | — |
| Reading time (~225 wpm) | 0s |
| Speaking time (~140 wpm) | 0s |
| Platform | Limit | Your text |
|---|---|---|
| Meta title (displayed) | 60 | 0 ✓ |
| Meta description (displayed) | 155 | 0 ✓ |
| X / Twitter post | 280 | 0 ✓ |
| LinkedIn post (before …see more) | 210 | 0 ✓ |
| Instagram caption | 2,200 | 0 ✓ |
| SMS (single message) | 160 | 0 ✓ |
Common character & word limits
| Where | Limit | Counted as |
|---|---|---|
| X (Twitter) post | 280 characters | Characters incl. spaces |
| SMS (single message, GSM alphabet) | 160 characters | Characters incl. spaces |
| Instagram caption | 2,200 characters | Characters incl. spaces |
| LinkedIn post | 3,000 characters | Characters incl. spaces |
| YouTube title | 100 characters | Characters incl. spaces |
| Title tag (display in search) | ≈ 60 characters | Characters incl. spaces |
| Meta description (display in search) | ≈ 155 characters | Characters incl. spaces |
| College essay (Common App) | 650 words | Words |
Platform limits change occasionally — treat these as the widely used values, and the search-display figures as guidance rather than hard caps (search engines truncate by pixel width, not an exact character count).
Reading & speaking time at a glance
| Word count | Silent reading (~225 wpm) | Speaking (~140 wpm) |
|---|---|---|
| 500 words | ≈ 2 min 13 s | ≈ 3 min 34 s |
| 1,000 words | ≈ 4 min 27 s | ≈ 7 min 9 s |
| 1,500 words | ≈ 6 min 40 s | ≈ 10 min 43 s |
| 2,500 words | ≈ 11 min 7 s | ≈ 17 min 51 s |
| 5,000 words | ≈ 22 min 13 s | ≈ 35 min 43 s |
Same pace assumptions as the calculator above. Dense or technical material reads closer to 150–180 wpm; a 20-minute conference talk holds roughly 2,600–2,800 spoken words.
How to use this tool
- Paste or type your text.
- Read the live counts: words, characters (with and without spaces), sentences, and paragraphs.
- Use the reading and speaking time estimates to size articles, scripts, and speeches.
How it works
Words are counted by splitting on whitespace; sentences by terminal punctuation (., !, ?); paragraphs by blank lines. Reading time assumes about 225 words per minute (average adult silent reading) and speaking time about 140 words per minute (a comfortable presentation pace).
Character counts matter because platforms enforce them: search engines display roughly 60 characters of a title tag and 155 of a meta description; social networks each have their own caps.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is the reading time?
It's an estimate based on 225 words per minute. Technical or dense material reads slower (150–180 wpm); light fiction reads faster. For narration or speeches, use the speaking-time figure instead.
Do spaces count as characters?
Both numbers are shown: total characters including spaces (what most platform limits count) and characters excluding spaces.
What counts as a paragraph?
Blocks of text separated by a blank line. Single line breaks within a block don't start a new paragraph.