How does a word counter work?

A word counter counts the words, characters (with and without spaces), sentences, and paragraphs in your text as you type, plus reading and speaking time and keyword density. This one runs entirely in your browser - nothing is uploaded - and updates the moment you type or paste.

How many words is X characters?

In English, the average word is about 5-6 characters plus a space, so roughly 6-7 characters per word. That means around 150 words per 1,000 characters. The exact ratio depends on your vocabulary, but this tool counts both precisely as you type.

What is a good keyword density?

There is no magic number, but most SEOs aim for natural usage - often under about 2% for a primary term. Modern search engines reward topical completeness and natural language, not repetition. Use keyword density to catch accidental over-stuffing, not to hit a target.

Does word count affect SEO?

Word count itself is not a ranking factor - there's no minimum that guarantees rankings. What matters is covering the topic thoroughly enough to satisfy the query. Longer content often ranks because it's more complete, not because it's longer. Write to fully answer the question, then stop.

What are the character limits for titles and social posts?

Common limits: SEO title tag ~60 characters, meta description ~160, X/Twitter 280, LinkedIn posts 3,000, and Instagram captions 2,200. Use the platform selector in the tool to see your count against the limit in real time.

Free Tools

Word & character counter

Count words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs as you type - with reading time, keyword density, and live limits for SEO titles and social posts.

No signup requiredPrivate - runs in your browserLive as you type

Your text

Check against

Words

Characters

No spaces

Sentences

Paragraphs

Lines

0 sec

Reading time (200 wpm)

0 sec

Speaking time (130 wpm)

Writing content for a site we're building?

Counting words is step one. We build content-ready sites with the structure, speed, and SEO that actually rank - and AI engines cite.

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Quick answer: A word counter counts the words, characters (with and without spaces), sentences, and paragraphs in your text as you type, plus reading time and keyword density. It runs entirely in your browser - nothing is uploaded - and is built for writers, marketers, and anyone working against a word or character limit.

Character limits that matter

Where	Recommended limit
SEO title tag	~60 characters
Meta description	~160 characters
X / Twitter post	280 characters
Google Business post	~1,500 characters
Instagram caption	2,200 characters
LinkedIn post	3,000 characters

Use the platform selector above the text box to track your count against any of these in real time.

Does word count matter for SEO?

Not directly. There's no minimum word count that guarantees rankings, and padding an article to hit a number usually makes it worse. What actually correlates with ranking is topical completeness - covering the question thoroughly enough that a reader (or an AI answer engine) doesn't need another source. Longer pages often win because they're more complete, not because they're long. Use this counter to hit a platform limit or a brief's target, then judge the writing on whether it fully answers the query.

Word counter vs readability checker

This tool answers how much - counts, limits, and keyword density. If you want to know how readable your writing is - Flesch Reading Ease, grade level, and the hardest sentences to fix - use our readability checker. And before publishing, the AI content readiness scorer estimates how likely ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews are to cite the piece.

Frequently asked questions

How does a word counter work?: It counts words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs as you type, all in your browser - nothing is uploaded.
How many words is X characters?: Roughly 6-7 characters per English word, so about 150 words per 1,000 characters.
What's a good keyword density?: Natural usage - often under ~2% for a primary term. Use it to avoid over-stuffing, not as a target.
Does word count affect SEO?: Not directly - topical completeness matters, not length. Answer the query fully, then stop.
What are common character limits?: SEO title ~60, meta description ~160, X 280, Instagram 2,200, LinkedIn 3,000.

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