Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences & reading time
About Word Counter
This free online Word Counter instantly counts words, characters (with and without spaces), sentences, paragraphs and estimates reading time as you type. Use it to check essay word count requirements, verify blog post length, measure social media character limits, track reading time for web content, or ensure your SEO meta descriptions stay within Google's display limits.
How to Use Word Counter
- 1Type or paste your text into the large input area.
- 2Word count, character count, sentence count and paragraph count update instantly.
- 3Check the reading time estimate at the bottom of the stats panel.
- 4Clear the text using the "Clear" button to start fresh.
Common Use Cases
For SEO, keep your meta descriptions under 160 characters and your title tags under 60 characters. For blog posts, 1,500–2,500 words tends to rank best.
⭐ Popular Free Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
How is reading time calculated?
Reading time is estimated at 200–250 words per minute, which is the average adult reading speed. A 1,500-word article would take approximately 6–7 minutes to read. You can use this to set expectations for blog readers and match their attention span.
What is the ideal blog post word count for SEO?
Studies show blog posts of 1,500–2,500 words tend to rank highest in Google search results for competitive keywords. However, word count alone does not determine rankings — content quality and how well it matches search intent matters more. Some short-form pages (300–500 words) rank well for simple informational queries.
How many characters can a tweet have?
Twitter (now X) allows 280 characters per tweet for standard accounts. URLs are counted as 23 characters regardless of their actual length. Images, videos and polls do not count against the character limit. Premium (formerly verified) accounts may have extended limits.
What is the maximum length for a Google meta description?
Google typically displays up to 155–160 characters of a meta description in search results. Descriptions longer than this are truncated with "...". For mobile search, the limit can be slightly shorter. Keep your meta descriptions concise, descriptive and within 155 characters.