Are spaces counted as characters?

Yes, standard character counts include spaces. However, we also provide a 'Characters (no spaces)' count for your convenience.

Is my text saved anywhere?

No. Your text is processed entirely in your browser's memory and is cleared when you close or refresh the page.

How is reading time calculated?

Reading time is estimated by dividing the word count by an average adult reading speed of around 200–250 words per minute. It is an approximation — technical content, code, or complex prose may take longer to read than the estimate suggests.

Does the character count include spaces?

Both counts are shown: characters with spaces and characters without spaces. The with-spaces count matches what most platforms report (e.g., Twitter's character limit). The without-spaces count is useful for typesetting and print design.

What counts as a word?

Words are counted as sequences of non-whitespace characters separated by spaces or line breaks. Hyphenated words like 'well-known' count as one word. Numbers, URLs, and punctuation-only tokens may vary depending on the counting method used.

Does the Word Counter handle text in languages other than English?

Yes. The Word Counter splits text by whitespace (spaces, tabs, and newlines) so it counts words in any language that uses spaces as word boundaries, including Spanish, French, German, Arabic, and most European languages. For languages without spaces between words — such as Chinese, Japanese, and Thai — the character count is more meaningful than the word count, as the tool will count the entire unseparated text as very few "words." The character count (with and without spaces) is always shown and is language-agnostic.

Word Counter — Count Words, Characters & Reading Time Free

About Word & Character Counter

Get instant, detailed statistics on your writing. Beyond just counting words and characters, this tool calculates estimated reading time and provides breakdown of lines and non-space characters, helping you meet specific length requirements.

How to Use

Start typing or paste your text into the main analysis area.
The counters for words, characters, and lines will update in real-time.
Check the 'Reading Time' section to see how long it takes to read your text at an average speed.
Use the 'Characters (no spaces)' metric for specific social media or publishing limits.

Common Use Cases

Ensuring social media posts (like X/Twitter or LinkedIn) fit within character limits.
Checking the word count for school essays, blog posts, or articles.
Estimating speaking time for speeches based on reading speed.

Technical Details

Utilizes Regex-based tokenization to accurately count words across different languages and handle various whitespace characters correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are spaces counted as characters?: Yes, standard character counts include spaces. However, we also provide a 'Characters (no spaces)' count for your convenience.
Is my text saved anywhere?: No. Your text is processed entirely in your browser's memory and is cleared when you close or refresh the page.
How is reading time calculated?: Reading time is estimated by dividing the word count by an average adult reading speed of around 200–250 words per minute. It is an approximation — technical content, code, or complex prose may take longer to read than the estimate suggests.
Does the character count include spaces?: Both counts are shown: characters with spaces and characters without spaces. The with-spaces count matches what most platforms report (e.g., Twitter's character limit). The without-spaces count is useful for typesetting and print design.
What counts as a word?: Words are counted as sequences of non-whitespace characters separated by spaces or line breaks. Hyphenated words like 'well-known' count as one word. Numbers, URLs, and punctuation-only tokens may vary depending on the counting method used.
Does the Word Counter handle text in languages other than English?: Yes. The Word Counter splits text by whitespace (spaces, tabs, and newlines) so it counts words in any language that uses spaces as word boundaries, including Spanish, French, German, Arabic, and most European languages. For languages without spaces between words — such as Chinese, Japanese, and Thai — the character count is more meaningful than the word count, as the tool will count the entire unseparated text as very few "words." The character count (with and without spaces) is always shown and is language-agnostic.

Local processing

Our local file, text and chart tools process content on your device using JavaScript, browser APIs and, where needed, WebAssembly. Our usage events do not include filenames, file contents, input text, chart values, raw errors, emails or license references. Network lookup tools (such as DNS, WHOIS, IP and speed tests) contact external services for their stated purpose. Loading the website, fonts, libraries and models also makes network requests. WebAssembly itself does not prevent network access.