# Character counter, with spaces and without

Type or paste your text and this character counter shows the total with spaces and without, plus words and lines, as you write. Text you type or paste is counted in your browser and stays there.

## How it works

1. **Paste your text**
   Type or paste anything from a caption to a full essay. Punctuation and line breaks count too. If you upload a file instead, it goes to our server once so its text can be read, and the file is not kept.
2. **Read both totals**
   The large number counts spaces. Under Counts you also get the total without them.
3. **Glance at words and lines**
   Words and lines sit in the same list, in case a word limit applies too.
4. **Check the platform limits**
   Under Platform limits, each row shows the room left and turns red once you go over.
5. **Trim and watch**
   Every figure updates as you type. Cut a clause and watch the remainder move.
6. **Copy it back**
   Paste the text where it belongs, as plain text if you can.

## Free limits

| Tool | No account | Free account |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Character counter | No limit | No limit |

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I count characters in my text?

Paste it into the box at the top of this page. The large number is your total with spaces, and the total without spaces sits under Counts. Paste the exact final version, punctuation included, then compare the figure with your limit before you copy the text out.

### What does characters without spaces mean?

It is the length of your text with all whitespace taken out. Tabs and line breaks go too. Letters and punctuation stay in. Some translators quote by it. Use it only when the brief asks, since most forms and apps count spaces.

### How many characters are in a word?

There is no fixed number. “I” is one character and “accountability” is fourteen, so a word count can't give you a character total. If your limit is in characters, count the actual text, especially when it is full of names or long technical terms.

### How are emoji and accented letters counted?

Each counts as one here. The counter goes by what you see, so a flag or a thumbs-up with a skin tone is one character, and an accented letter is one however it is stored. A line break is one with spaces and none without. X counts most emoji as 2.

### How many characters can an X post have?

A standard X post can have 280 characters, spaces included. X counts every link as 23 characters and most emoji as 2, so a post that fits here can still run over in the X composer. X Premium subscribers can post up to 25,000 characters.

### What is the difference between a character counter and a word counter?

A character counter measures everything you type, spaces included. A word counter measures words. Characters suit captions and form fields. Words suit essays and reports. For a longer draft, Textlume's word counter also shows reading time and your most repeated words.

### Do spaces count as characters?

Yes, in the main total. A space takes room in a text box like any letter. Textlume also shows a total without spaces, which leaves out tabs and line breaks too. If an instruction only says “characters”, assume spaces count unless you are told otherwise.

### Is the character counter free?

Free, with no cap on how much text you count or how often, and no account needed. The Textlume character counter runs in your browser, so you can paste a single post or a whole thesis chapter and every figure updates as you type.

### Is my text stored or sent anywhere?

Text you type or paste is counted in your browser and stays there. If you use Upload file, the file goes to our server once so its text can be read, and the file is not kept. To keep everything on your device, paste the text instead.

### What is the difference between characters and letters?

Letters are the alphabetic part of a text, A to Z plus accented letters like é or ñ. Characters cover those plus everything else you can type, spaces included. When a form or brief says characters, it means that full total, not letters alone.

- [View this page on the site](https://textlume.com/character-counter)
- [Pricing](https://textlume.com/pricing.md)
- [How we measure accuracy](https://textlume.com/accuracy)