What a word counter is for
Almost everything we write has a limit: 280 characters for a post on X, 2,200 for an Instagram caption, the 250–300 words per page a professor expects, or the ~155 characters of a meta description for Google. This counter shows you live how many words, characters, sentences and paragraphs you’ve written, plus estimated reading and speaking time — nothing to install, and your text never leaves your browser.
Type directly into the box or paste something you’ve already written: every number updates with each keystroke.
Common character and word limits
| Platform / use | Limit |
|---|---|
| X (Twitter) | 280 characters |
| Instagram — caption | 2,200 characters |
| Instagram — bio | 150 characters |
| TikTok — bio | 80 characters |
| SMS (single message) | 160 characters |
| Meta description (Google) | ~155 characters |
| SEO title | ~60 characters |
| LinkedIn — post | 3,000 characters |
| College essay (Common App) | 650 words |
| Typical blog post | 1,000–2,000 words |
How we count
- Words: any run of letters or numbers separated by spaces — “year 2026” is two words.
- Characters: every symbol including spaces and line breaks. The “no spaces” figure excludes spaces, tabs and newlines.
- Sentences: fragments ending in a period, question mark, exclamation mark or ellipsis.
- Paragraphs: blocks of text separated by blank lines.
- Reading time: based on 200 words per minute, the average adult silent-reading speed. Speaking time uses 130 words per minute, a comfortable presentation pace.
Frequently asked questions
How many words is one page?
It depends on formatting: a single-spaced page in 12-point type holds roughly 500 words; double-spaced (the academic standard), about 250 words. A 1,000-word essay is therefore around 4 double-spaced pages.
How many words do I need for a 5-minute speech?
At a comfortable 130 words per minute, a 5-minute speech needs about 650 words; a 10-minute talk, around 1,300. If you speak quickly or pause for slides, adjust by 10–15% either way.
Do spaces count as characters?
Yes — most limits (X, Instagram, meta descriptions) count spaces. That’s why we show both figures: total characters, and characters without spaces, which some academic forms use instead.
Is what I type here private?
Completely. Counting happens in JavaScript inside your own browser: your text is never uploaded, stored or seen by us. You can verify it yourself — turn off your internet connection and the counter keeps working.