# A word counter that keeps up while you write

Type or paste a draft and the word count is there before you lift your hands. Characters, sentences, paragraphs, reading time and your most repeated words sit right under it. The counting happens in your browser.

## How it works

Nothing to press. The panel updates as you type.

1. **Add your text**
   Type, paste, or load a file with Upload file. A file goes to our server only to read its text.
2. **Read the word count**
   The big number is your total. Compare it with your limit.
3. **Check the length group**
   Characters, sentences and paragraphs, for forms that count those.
4. **Look at the time**
   Reading and speaking time, in whole minutes.
5. **Scan your top words**
   Pick a word near the top and check that each use earns its place.
6. **Check sentence length**
   Average and longest sentence show where a passage drags.

## Free limits

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

## Frequently asked questions

### How many words is a page?

About 500 words single-spaced and about 250 double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman with 1-inch margins. A larger font, wider margins or lots of short paragraphs lower that number. Handwritten pages hold far fewer. If your teacher sets pages, format the document as required and check how far it runs.

### Does a word counter count numbers and hyphenated words?

Yes, here a number counts as a word, and a hyphenated compound counts as one word. So 1999 is one word, mother-in-law is one word, and well written without the hyphen is two. Punctuation attached to a word stays part of it and doesn't add to the count.

### How long does it take to read 1,000 words?

At 238 words a minute, the counter's reading pace, 1,000 words take about 4 minutes. A dense textbook chapter takes longer. For your own figure, time yourself on one page and divide its words by the minutes.

### How do I check the word count in Google Docs or Word?

In Google Docs, open Tools and choose Word count. In Microsoft Word, the count shows in the status bar at the bottom, and Review, then Word Count, gives the details. Select a passage first to count only that part.

### Do spaces count toward the total?

Not toward words. Spaces only separate words, so typing two spaces instead of one changes nothing. They do count as characters, which is why the panel shows characters with and without spaces. Use the version without spaces only when a form says so.

### Is the word counter free?

Yes. The word counter on Textlume is free, with no word limit and no account needed. Paste a single paragraph or a whole thesis chapter, count it as often as you like, and edit right in the box while the numbers update.

### How does the counter split sentences and paragraphs?

A sentence ends at an end mark followed by a space and a capital letter, a number or a quote. Abbreviations like Dr. and e.g. and initials don't end one. Paragraphs are separated by an empty line. A single line break doesn't start a new paragraph, and several empty lines count as one break.

### How many words is a 5 page essay?

About 1,250 words double-spaced, or about 2,500 single-spaced, at 12-point type with 1-inch margins. Headings, block quotes and short paragraphs push that number down. If the assignment gives both pages and words, the word count is the firmer target.

### How long is the Common App essay?

The Common App personal essay allows up to 650 words. Draft and count it here, then paste the final text into the application itself and check the count it shows before you submit. Aim a little under the limit to leave room for a last edit.

### Why do two word counters give different totals?

They disagree on edge cases like a dash between spaces, a bullet, a long URL or words joined by a slash. On ordinary prose the gap is usually a word or two. When a limit is strict, check with the tool your school or publisher uses.

### Does the title or the bibliography count toward a word limit?

It depends on the instructions. Many essay prompts leave out the title, references and footnotes, and many journals give their own rule. When the prompt doesn't say, ask. Then paste only the parts that count into the box, so the total matches what the reader will measure.

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