Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences, paragraphs and estimated reading time.
Count words, characters, sentences, paragraphs and estimated reading time. Paste or type your text and the result updates instantly. Everything runs in your browser, so nothing is uploaded, nothing is stored, and there is no limit on how much text you can process.
What Word Counter does
A word is any run of letters, digits, apostrophes or hyphens bounded by whitespace or punctuation, so "don't" and "state-of-the-art" each count once. Word processors apply slightly different rules, which is why a count here can differ from one by a word or two on the same text.
Your text never leaves your device
This tool is written in JavaScript and runs locally in the browser tab. No text is transmitted to a server, none is written to a log, and none is retained after you close the page. That makes it safe for drafts, client work and anything else you would rather not paste into an online form.
Why results can differ from other tools
Text processing involves judgement calls: what counts as a word, whether a hyphenated compound is one token or two, how a line ending is treated. Different tools resolve these differently, so a small discrepancy between this and a word processor is expected rather than an error.
Frequently asked questions
How does this word counter define a word?
A word is any run of letters, digits, apostrophes or hyphens separated by whitespace or punctuation. That means "don't" and "state-of-the-art" each count as one word. Different tools use different rules, which is why counts vary slightly between a browser counter and a word processor.
Does the count update as I type?
Yes. Words, characters, lines, sentences and paragraphs all recalculate on every keystroke, entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded and there is no button to press.
Is Word Counter free to use?
Yes, completely. There is no account, no sign-up, no usage limit and no watermark. Every tool on this site runs in your browser and stays free.
Does my text get uploaded anywhere?
No. The processing happens locally in your browser using JavaScript. Your text is never transmitted to a server, never logged and never stored.