How to use the word counter
- Type or paste your text into the box. Counts update with every keystroke.
- Watch the Platform limits bars. Each one turns amber as you get close and shows how far over you are if you pass the limit.
- Add your own limit for anything not listed, like a shop listing title or a client's word count.
- Open Reading and speaking speed to set your own pace, so speaking time matches how you actually talk on camera.
- Leave Keep my text in this browser on to pick up where you left off later. It's saved on your device, never on our server.
When it comes in handy
- Timing a video script. Write a 30- or 60-second voiceover and see right away whether it will fit before you hit record.
- Captions that don't get cut off. Check a caption against Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and X limits at the same time, then trim once.
- YouTube uploads. Keep titles under 100 characters and front-load the words that show up in search.
- Website SEO. Size page titles and meta descriptions so Google is less likely to truncate them.
- Print and product copy. Hit the word count for a magazine caption, a product description, or a flyer blurb.
Frequently asked questions
How are words and characters counted?
Words are counted with your browser's built-in language rules, so contractions like "don't" count as one word and punctuation is ignored. Characters count what you see, so an emoji or an accented letter counts as one character even if it's stored as several pieces behind the scenes.
Why does X say my post is longer than this?
X weighs some characters differently: every link counts as 23 characters no matter its real length, and emoji and many non-Latin characters count as 2. The X bar here uses that same weighting, so it should match closely. The plain character count above does not.
How is reading time calculated?
Word count divided by reading speed. The default is 238 words per minute, the average silent reading speed for adults found in a large review of reading studies. Technical or dense writing reads slower, so treat it as an estimate.
How long will my script take to say on camera?
Most people speak between 130 and 160 words per minute when presenting, so the default is 150. A 60-second video usually fits about 140 to 160 words. Read your script aloud once with a timer, then set your own pace for a more accurate number.
How long should a meta description be?
Google cuts off descriptions by pixel width, not a fixed character count, so there's no exact limit. Keeping it to about 150 to 160 characters usually avoids truncation on desktop. Page titles do best around 50 to 60 characters.
Are these platform limits up to date?
They reflect each platform's published limits at the time of writing, but platforms change them. If a number looks off, add a custom limit with the current value and it will stay in your browser.
Is my text saved or uploaded?
Your text is never uploaded. If Keep my text in this browser is on, a copy is saved in your browser's local storage on this device so it's still there next time. Turn it off, or tap Clear, to remove it.