Words, with a simple rule
Each nonempty group separated by whitespace counts as one word. “Don't” and “re-enter” each stay together. A standalone symbol also counts as a group.
MAKE ROOM FOR THE WORDS
Word Counter
Know the shape of your writing.
Counted in your browser
- Words
- 0 Groups separated by whitespace
- Characters
- 0 0 without whitespace · code points
- Reading estimate
- 0 min 200 words per minute
- Speaking estimate
- 0 min 130 words per minute
Your draft stays in this tab and is not automatically saved. Copy or download before leaving. Open UTF-8 TXT/MD up to 1 MiB. File limits and help (new tab).
Live counts · whole draftReady for your words.
Writing goal
Writing targets & timing Optional, and adjustable
Targets measure the whole draft and never stop you typing. Time = words ÷ words per minute. These are planning estimates; choose a pace that fits your audience.
A count you can put in context.
Useful numbers start with clear definitions. Here is what this counter measures.
Characters, made explicit
Characters are Unicode code points, including spaces and newlines. A combined emoji or an accented letter can contain several code points.
Timing, at your own pace
Reading starts at 200 WPM and speaking at 130 WPM. Adjust either above. Pauses, difficulty, and delivery can change the actual time.
A small example
Clear words. Better work.
This has 4 words, 25 characters, and 2 approximate sentences with this app's rules. See why another counter may differ.
Will this match my editor or submission website?
It may differ. Products can treat punctuation, hyphens, symbols, and language boundaries differently. When a publisher enforces a limit, its own measurement is the final reference. Understand counting differences.
Does this count formatting in Markdown?
It counts the Markdown source you enter, including its markers. It does not render Markdown or interpret a Word/PDF document. Open text already prepared for the job you want to measure.
Can I tidy the text before counting it?
Text Cleaner (new tab) can fix spacing and line breaks. Review its output, then copy the text you want to count here. Your draft is not sent to the other app.