How to count words and characters
- Paste or type your text. Every number updates as you type.
- Pick a limit: below the result you'll find common limits such as an SMS, an X post or a meta description. The bar shows how much room is left and turns orange once you are over.
- Check your most used words: the list shows which words you repeat most, with filler words like “the” and “and” left out.
Your text is never saved or sent to a server. Counting happens entirely in your browser, so it is safe for private or confidential writing.
What counts as a character or a word?
- Characters: every letter, digit, punctuation mark and space. An emoji counts as one character, the way you see it.
- Characters without spaces: the same count with spaces, tabs and line breaks removed.
- Words: runs of letters or digits. “e-mail”, “don’t” and “2026” each count as one word.
- Reading and speaking time: based on 230 words per minute for silent reading and 130 for speaking. A 5-minute talk is about 650 words.
Common character and word limits
| Where | Limit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Google title (SEO) | about 60 characters | Longer titles get cut off in search results |
| Meta description | about 155 characters | The rest is usually truncated with “…” |
| SMS | 160 characters | Only 70 per message with emoji or special characters |
| X (Twitter) | 280 characters | For accounts without a subscription |
| Instagram caption | 2,200 characters | “more” appears after about 125 characters |
| LinkedIn post | 3,000 characters | Only the first two or three lines show at first |
| Common App essay | 650 words | US college applications |
Frequently asked questions
Do spaces count as characters?
Yes, in the standard character count. That is why the counter shows both numbers, with and without spaces. Assignments and briefs usually say which one they mean.
How many words is one page?
Roughly 500 words single-spaced or 250 words double-spaced, in a 12-point font with normal margins.
Is my text saved anywhere?
No. It stays in your browser tab and is gone when you close the page. Nothing is sent to KeypadLab or anyone else.
Why does Word or Google Docs show a slightly different number?
Programs treat hyphens, numbers and punctuation a little differently, so small differences are normal. For hard limits like SMS or X, the character count is what matters, and that matches.