Word Counter
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Hitting an exact word count for an essay, meeting a job posting's word limit, or checking how varied your vocabulary is in a piece of writing all come back to the same question: how many words are actually there? This word counter answers instantly, showing total word count, unique word count, and average word length as you type or paste text. It's built for students meeting assignment requirements, writers tracking word count goals, and editors checking vocabulary diversity, all without needing a full word processor open. Because counting happens directly in your browser, your draft stays private the entire time — nothing is uploaded or saved. Start typing or paste your text below to see live counts update instantly.
Features
- Real-time total word count as you type
- Unique word count to gauge vocabulary variety
- Average word length calculation
- Handles pasted documents of any size
- Counts update instantly with no delay
- Works alongside character and sentence counting
- No signup or file upload required
- Accurate handling of punctuation and hyphenation
Why use this word counter?
- Counts words instantly with live, real-time updates
- Keeps your draft private by processing it locally
- Accurately distinguishes unique words from repeats
- Simple, focused interface with no distractions
- Free to use with unlimited word counts
Frequently asked questions
How does a word counter define a 'word'?
It generally counts sequences of characters separated by whitespace or punctuation as individual words, similar to how word processors like Microsoft Word count them.
What does 'unique words' mean in this tool?
It shows how many distinct words appear in your text, ignoring repeats, which is a quick way to gauge vocabulary variety.
Can I use this to check an essay's word count requirement?
Yes, paste your essay and the live word count updates instantly, making it easy to trim or expand to hit a target range.
Does hyphenated text count as one word or two?
Hyphenated compound words like 'well-known' are typically counted as a single word, consistent with standard word-counting conventions.
Is there a limit on how much text I can count?
No, since counting is done locally in your browser, it can handle very large documents without restriction.
Does this tool store or upload my text?
No, all counting happens client-side in JavaScript, and your text is never sent to a server.
From the blog
Word Count Targets for Essays, Blogs and Emails
The ideal blog post length is 1,200-1,800 words for most topics. Full word count targets for essays, emails, resumes and product copy, plus how to hit them.
Character Limits on Every Major Social Platform
Every social media character limit in one table: X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube and more, plus the truncation points that matter more than the caps.
How Long Does It Take to Read 1,000 Words?
1,000 words takes about 4 minutes to read silently and 7 minutes aloud. Full reading time chart by word count, plus the WPM figures behind each estimate.