ToolPetal
Word counter
- Runs on your device
- Nothing uploaded
- Free, no sign-up
Client-side only. Counts update as you type. Nothing is uploaded.
How to use the word counter
- Paste or type your text. The counts update as you type.
- Read the totals: words, characters, characters without spaces, sentences, paragraphs, and lines.
- Check the reading time. It assumes 200 words a minute and rounds up.
- Edit in place until you hit your limit, then use Copy text.
Worked example: an email subject line
Text: Your October invoice is ready, plus two new features
| Words | 9 |
| Characters | 52 |
| Characters (no spaces) | 44 |
| Sentences | 1 |
Many inboxes cut subjects off well before 52 characters on a phone, so the key words should come first. The 8 spaces explain the gap between 52 and 44.
Worked example: a meta description
Text: Convert WebP images to JPG in your browser. Pick a quality, download one file or a batch, and keep files on your device.
The counter shows 23 words, 120 characters, 98 without spaces, and 2 sentences. Search snippets are limited by pixel width, not words, so check the same text in the meta description generator before you publish it.
How reading time is worked out
Words divided by 200, rounded up, with a minimum of 1 minute. 200 words reads as 1 min, 1,400 words as 7 min, and 1,401 words as 8 min. Real reading speed varies with the reader and the text, so treat this as a rough guide.
When to use it
- Essays, applications, and forms with a word or character limit.
- Subject lines, social posts, and ad copy with tight limits.
- Estimating reading time for a blog post or newsletter.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up the two character counts. Most form limits count spaces. Use the Characters figure unless the rules say otherwise.
- Stray punctuation. A word is anything between spaces, so a comma typed with spaces around it counts as a word. "A well-known state-of-the-art tool , really" counts as 6.
- Counting languages without spaces. Japanese, Chinese, and Thai do not put spaces between words. "東京で会いましょう" counts as 1 word, so use the character count for those.
To clean a list before counting it, use sort lines or the duplicate line checker. To fix capitals, use the case converter. To compare two drafts, use text compare.
FAQ
How does it count words?
Each run of characters between spaces or line breaks is one word. Hyphenated words like "state-of-the-art" count as one. Numbers count as words.
Do characters include spaces?
The Characters figure includes spaces and line breaks. Chars (no spaces) removes all whitespace. Both are shown.
What reading speed does it use?
200 words per minute, rounded up to the next whole minute, with a minimum of 1 minute for any text.
How are sentences and paragraphs counted?
A sentence ends at a period, exclamation mark, or question mark. A paragraph is a block separated by a blank line. Abbreviations like "e.g." can add extra sentences to the count.
Is my text uploaded?
No. Counting happens in your browser and the text stays on your device.