---
title: "Word Counter - Free Online Tool"
description: "Free online word counter to count words, characters & sentences instantly. No sign-up, no download - your text stays in your browser."
url: https://candoya.com/tools/word-counter/
locale: en
type: browser-tool
---

# Free Word Counter

Category: [Text & Writing](https://candoya.com/tools/text/)

## What is a word counter?

A word counter is a free tool that instantly counts the words, characters, sentences and paragraphs in your text and estimates reading time. Paste or type and the totals update live as you write - nothing is uploaded, so even sensitive drafts stay private on your device.

The counter runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript, so your text never touches a server, there's no account, and there are no length limits beyond what your device can handle.

## How to use it

1. **Paste your text** - Type or paste your text into the box above.
2. **Read the counts** - Words, characters, sentences and paragraphs update live as you type.
3. **Copy or clear** - Copy the figures you need, or clear the box to start again.

## Who it's for

- **Students** hitting an essay or assignment word limit.
- **Writers and bloggers** tracking length and reading time.
- **Social and ad teams** fitting character limits (280-character posts, 150-character meta descriptions).
- **Translators and editors** billing by word count.

## Expert note

We count a "word" as any whitespace-separated token, so "well-known" counts once and numbers count as words - which can differ slightly from your word processor, which may tokenize punctuation differently.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is the word counter free?

Yes - it's 100% free, with no sign-up and no limits. It runs in your browser.

### Is my text uploaded anywhere?

No. Everything is processed locally in your browser; your text never leaves your device.

### Does it count characters with and without spaces?

Yes, both are shown, which is handy for character-limited fields like meta descriptions and social posts.

### How is reading time estimated?

From your word count at an average reading speed of about 200 words per minute.

## Related tools

- [Character Counter](https://candoya.com/tools/character-counter/)
- [Sentence Counter](https://candoya.com/tools/sentence-counter/)
- [Reading Time Calculator](https://candoya.com/tools/reading-time-estimator/)
- [Speaking Time Calculator](https://candoya.com/tools/speaking-time-estimator/)

---

*Markdown edition of <https://candoya.com/tools/word-counter/>, published for AI agents and other automated readers. Index of key pages: <https://candoya.com/llms.txt>.*