Character Counter
Count characters, words, sentences, paragraphs, and reading time for any text.
Why Character Count Matters
Character limits are everywhere in digital communication, and knowing your count prevents truncation, rejection, or formatting problems. Twitter/X allows 280 characters per post. SMS text messages are 160 characters per segment — texts over 160 characters are split into multiple messages and may be charged accordingly. Email subject lines should stay under 60 characters to display fully in most email clients. Google Ads headlines are limited to 30 characters. Meta (SEO) descriptions should be 150–160 characters for optimal search result display. LinkedIn posts support up to 3,000 characters.
Word Count for Writing Goals
Beyond character limits, word count is essential for writers, students, and content creators. Academic papers have strict word count requirements. Blog posts and articles typically target specific word counts for SEO — a 1,500-word article is often recommended for competitive search terms. Novels typically run 70,000–100,000 words. Short stories are generally under 7,500 words. This tool counts words, sentences, and paragraphs in real time as you type or paste.
Reading Time Estimation
The average adult reads approximately 200–250 words per minute. This tool uses 200 words per minute as a conservative estimate for informational content. A 1,000-word article takes about 5 minutes to read. A 2,000-word blog post takes about 10 minutes. Reading time estimates are useful for content creators setting reader expectations, newsletter writers gauging email length, and educators timing assignments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a space count as a character?
In most contexts, yes u2014 spaces are characters. Our counter shows both total characters and characters without spaces so you can see both counts.
How is reading time calculated?
Average adult reading speed is approximately 200u2013250 words per minute. We use 200 wpm as a conservative estimate. Reading time increases for technical content.