Word Counter

Paste your essay text in the box above. The counter instantly shows word count, character count, sentence count, and reading time. Most college essays require 500–1000 words; university applications typically require 250–650 words.

Average adult reading speed is 200–250 words per minute. Reading time = Word count ÷ 200. For example, a 1,000-word article takes about 5 minutes to read. This tool uses 200 WPM as the baseline.

This tool shows both: with spaces and without spaces. Twitter/X characters include spaces. Most document limits (essays, SMS) count with spaces. Google Meta Description should be under 160 characters with spaces.

Common limits: Tweet/X 280 chars, Instagram caption 2,200 chars, SMS 160 chars, Google Meta Description 160 chars, College essay 500–650 words, Blog post 1,500–2,500 words, Novel chapter 3,000–5,000 words.

Tips: Remove filler phrases ("it is important to note that"), use active voice instead of passive, replace wordy phrases ("due to the fact that" → "because"), cut redundant adjectives, combine related sentences, remove unnecessary examples.