Paste or type any text and see live word count, character count, sentence count, paragraph count, and estimated reading time — all updating instantly as you write. Ideal for essays, blog posts, social captions, and any writing with a length limit.
Counts update automatically while you type. No data is sent to a server.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Word Counter?
A Word Counter is a writing tool that instantly counts the words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs in any piece of text. It updates in real time as you type or paste, so you always know exactly how long your content is without manual counting.
How does the word count work?
Words are counted by splitting the text on whitespace. Any sequence of characters separated by a space, tab, or line break counts as one word. Leading and trailing spaces are ignored, so empty input always shows zero words.
What is the difference between character count and character count without spaces?
Character count includes every letter, number, punctuation mark, and space in your text. Character count without spaces excludes all whitespace — spaces, tabs, and line breaks — giving you the total number of visible characters only.
How is reading time calculated?
Reading time is estimated at an average silent reading speed of 200 words per minute, a standard used by publishers and content platforms. Short texts under 200 words are shown as less than one minute. The estimate is a guide — actual reading speed varies by reader and content complexity.
How are sentences and paragraphs counted?
Sentences are detected by ending punctuation — full stops, question marks, and exclamation marks. Text without ending punctuation counts as one sentence if it contains any content. Paragraphs are separated by one or more blank lines; a single block of text with no blank lines counts as one paragraph.
Is my text stored or sent anywhere?
No. All counting happens entirely in your browser. Your text never leaves your device and is not stored on any server. You can use the tool with complete privacy for drafts, emails, or confidential documents.
Can I use this for Twitter, essays, or SEO content?
Yes. The character count is useful for social media limits, the word count for essays and assignments, and the reading time estimate for blog posts and SEO content planning. For letter-by-letter analysis, try the Character Counter or Letter Counter.
Is this tool free and does it work on mobile?
Yes on both counts. The Word Counter on draft21 is completely free with no account or sign-up required and works on phones, tablets, and desktops.