Word counter with character count and reading time
Paste an essay, cover letter or post and get the word count, character count, sentences, paragraphs and reading time instantly.
Runs in your browser. Nothing you enter or open is uploaded.
The short answer
Paste or type your text in the box and the word count updates as you type. A word is any run of letters or numbers between spaces, so "don't" and "well-known" count as one word each. You also get characters with and without spaces, sentences, paragraphs, and reading time at 200 words per minute.
How it is calculated
Word = a run of text between spaces (or em/en dashes) that contains at least one letter or digit
A sentence ends at . ! ? or … followed by a space, or at a line break
Reading time = words ÷ 200 wpm; speaking time = words ÷ 130 wpm (both are assumptions you can change)
Worked example
The sample text in the tool is a student checking a college essay draft against a 650-word limit.
- Words: 54 ("650" counts as a word)
- Characters with spaces: 281; without spaces: 229
- Sentences: 5; paragraphs: 2
- Reading time: 17 sec; speaking time: 25 sec
- X post length: 283 / 280, so it would not fit in one post
- Top keyword: "essay", used 3 times (5.6% of words)
54 words, well under 650, and about 17 sec to read
Quick reference table
| Words | Silent reading | Speaking aloud |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 30 sec | 47 sec |
| 250 | 1 min 15 sec | 1 min 56 sec |
| 500 | 2 min 30 sec | 3 min 51 sec |
| 650 | 3 min 15 sec | 5 min |
| 1,000 | 5 min | 7 min 42 sec |
| 1,500 | 7 min 30 sec | 11 min 33 sec |
| 2,000 | 10 min | 15 min 24 sec |
| 5,000 | 25 min | 38 min 28 sec |
Special cases and common mistakes
- Contractions and hyphenated words count once. "Don't stop the well-known show" is 5 words. Words joined by a dash with no spaces, like "yes—no", count as two.
- Numbers are words. "650" and "2026" each count as one word. If your instructor excludes numbers or citations, subtract them yourself.
- Abbreviations can add a sentence. "Dr." or "U.S." followed by a space looks like a sentence end. The word and character counts are not affected.
- X counts characters its own way. The limit is 280, but every link counts as 23 characters no matter how long, and each emoji counts as 2. The X row applies those rules, so "see https://example.com/a/very/long/path" counts as 27.
Frequently asked questions
How do I count words in my essay?
Paste the essay into the box at the top of this page. The word count, character count and reading time update as you type, with nothing to install and no sign-up. Your text stays in your browser.
Does a hyphenated word count as one word?
Yes. "Well-known" and "mother-in-law" count as one word each, and so do contractions like "don't". A word is anything between spaces that contains a letter or a number.
How long does it take to read 1,000 words?
About 5 min at 200 words per minute, and about 7 min 42 sec to say out loud at 130. Reading speed varies by reader and text, so set your own speed in the tool.
How many words is a 5-minute speech?
At 130 words per minute, a 5-minute speech is about 650 words. Paste your draft and watch the speaking time; change the speed if you talk faster or slower.
How many characters can an X (Twitter) post have?
280 for a standard account. Links always count as 23 characters and emoji as 2. Paste your post and the X row shows the weighted count and warns when you go over.
Do spaces count as characters?
It depends on who set the limit. Most character limits, including X, count spaces, so use "Characters (with spaces)". Some forms and assignments count only letters, so the tool shows both.
Sources
- X Developer Platform: Counting characters (Last reviewed: October 9, 2026)
- twitter-text v3 weighting config (GitHub) (Last reviewed: October 9, 2026)