Count Words, Characters & Sentences
Paste text to count words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, and estimated reading time. For essays, articles, and social media.
Why Word Count Matters
Common word limits: Twitter/X: 280 characters. Instagram caption: 2,200 characters. College essay: 250-650 words (Common App). Blog post: 1,500-2,500 words (SEO optimal). Resume: 400-800 words. Cover letter: 250-400 words. Knowing your count helps you stay within limits and hit optimal lengths for your platform.
Reading Time Estimation
Average adult reading speed is 238 words per minute (based on research by Brysbaert, 2019). A 1,000-word article takes about 4 minutes. Medium and other platforms show estimated reading time because it sets reader expectations and increases engagement — people are more likely to start a "3 min read" than something with no time estimate.
Word counter gets 200K+ monthly searches from students checking essay lengths and writers tracking article word counts. Users paste and re-paste multiple times per session, driving excellent time-on-page metrics.
