Text Counter

One input per line. Output is numbered to match the input order.
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Understand Text Counter

Counts characters, words, sentences, paragraphs, and lines in pasted text, and estimates reading time.

How it works

Each metric is a different rule applied to the same string. Characters are counted as JavaScript sees them, in UTF-16 code units; words are runs of non-whitespace, so the text is trimmed and split on whitespace; sentences are runs of `.`, `!`, or `?`; paragraphs are blocks separated by a blank line; lines are newline-separated regardless of content. Reading time is words divided by 200, the conventional average for adult silent reading of ordinary prose — it is a convention, not a measurement of your text.

When to use it

  • Trimming a meta description or title to fit a search result, where the limit is characters rather than words
  • Checking a post against a platform limit before you hit publish
  • Meeting an assignment or submission word count without opening a word processor
  • Estimating how long an article will take to read for a "5 min read" label

Watch out for

  • A character is not always one code unit. Emoji and other astral-plane characters count as 2, and an emoji built from several code points (a flag, a family) counts as more — so an SMS or Twitter limit measured this way can be off.
  • The sentence count is punctuation counting, not grammar. "e.g." adds two sentences and the number 3.14 adds one, while a consecutive run such as "..." or "?!" counts as a single sentence.
  • Languages without spaces do not have countable words here. Chinese, Japanese, and Thai text splits into one or two "words" per line regardless of length, because the splitter looks for whitespace.
  • Reading time is fixed at 200 words per minute. Dense technical prose is read far slower and skimmed content far faster, so treat the number as a label, not a fact.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to count words in Google Docs?

In Google Docs, go to Tools → Word Count (or press Ctrl+Shift+C). It shows word count, character count with and without spaces, and page count. For a standalone paste-and-count tool that works outside Google Docs, use this counter — paste your text and the count updates instantly.

How to count words in an essay?

Paste your essay text into the counter. It shows the total word count plus character count (with and without spaces), sentence count, and estimated reading time. Most academic submission systems count words the same way — splitting on whitespace and punctuation boundaries.

How to count words in a text?

Paste any text into the input area. Words are counted by splitting on whitespace — "hello world" is 2 words. Hyphenated words like "well-known" count as 1. The counter also tracks characters (useful for SMS limits), sentences, and paragraphs.

How to Use Text Counter

  1. Paste or type your input in the input area above.
  2. The tool processes your input automatically or click Run.
  3. Copy or download the result using the action buttons.
  4. Use Ctrl+Enter to run quickly from the keyboard.