Updated · Built and checked by the PlinzoTools team, formulas tested against published sources
Count words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs, plus estimated reading time.
Type at least a few words to see keyword frequency.
Whether you're hitting a strict word limit for an essay, checking an SEO article's length, or estimating how long a speech will take to deliver, this tool analyzes your text instantly as you type -- word count, character count (with and without spaces), sentence count, paragraph count, estimated reading and speaking time, and your most frequently used keywords.
Paste or type your text into the input box. Every statistic updates live as you type, with no submit button needed. Toggle "ignore common words" to exclude filler words (like "the," "and," "of") from the keyword frequency list, so the results highlight your text's actual meaningful terms instead.
Words = text split on whitespace, counting each non-empty segment
Sentences = text split on ./!/? , counting each non-empty segment
Paragraphs = text split on line breaks, counting each non-empty segment
Reading Time = Word Count ÷ 200 words per minute
Speaking Time = Word Count ÷ 130 words per minute
200 WPM is a commonly used average silent-reading speed; 130 WPM approximates a natural spoken-presentation pace -- both are estimates, and actual speed varies by reader/speaker and content complexity.
Students checking an essay against a word-count requirement. Writers and content marketers gauging an article's length and estimated reading time before publishing. Speakers timing a presentation script against a target duration.
Reading and speaking time are estimates based on common average speeds -- your specific reading speed, or a speaker's actual pace, will vary. Keyword frequency only counts words longer than 2 characters and strips punctuation before matching.
Suppose a scholarship essay must stay between 500 and 650 words, and your draft currently shows 712 words, 4,090 characters with spaces, and 6 paragraphs. You need to cut at least 62 words. Rather than trimming randomly, use the keyword list: if a phrase such as "really important" keeps appearing, replacing it once or twice with a tighter alternative saves words without changing your meaning. After each round of edits the counts update immediately, so you can watch the total approach the limit instead of guessing.
The same approach works in reverse. If an SEO brief asks for at least 1,000 words and you are at 830, the sentence and paragraph counts tell you where the piece is thin. Six very short paragraphs may indicate that a section needs another example, not just padding.
If you paste the same text into a word processor and get a slightly different number, the difference usually comes from how each program defines a word. This tool splits on whitespace, so a hyphenated term like "well-known" counts as one word, and a standalone dash surrounded by spaces counts as its own segment. Numbers, URLs, and email addresses each count as a single word because they contain no spaces. Some programs treat slashes or em dashes differently, and a few skip footnotes, headers, or text boxes that you may have pasted in. When a submission portal enforces a limit, treat its own counter as the authority and use this tool for drafting.
Reading time is an average, not a promise. Dense technical writing, tables, or unfamiliar vocabulary slow a reader down, while a light blog post may be skimmed faster than 200 words per minute. For a spoken presentation, remember that pauses, slides, demonstrations, and audience questions all add time that the 130 words-per-minute estimate does not include. A practical habit is to treat the estimate as a lower bound and rehearse your script aloud once with a timer before an important talk.
Social posts, SMS messages, and meta descriptions often specify a character limit. Check whether the platform counts spaces, and compare with the with-spaces figure in most cases. Also be aware that emoji and some non-Latin characters may count as more than one unit on certain platforms, so leave a small safety margin when you are near the limit.
Word count divided by 200 words per minute, a commonly cited average adult silent-reading speed -- actual reading speed varies by person and text complexity.
Both are shown separately, since different word-limit or character-limit requirements (like a tweet or meta description) may specify one or the other.
No -- all counting happens directly in your browser using JavaScript; your text is never uploaded or transmitted anywhere.
Each program defines a word slightly differently and may include or exclude footnotes, headers, and text boxes. This tool counts every whitespace-separated segment, so small differences are normal.
Yes. Any group of characters separated by whitespace counts as one word, including numbers, links, and email addresses.
Periods inside abbreviations or decimal numbers can be read as sentence endings. Rewording those spots or accepting a small margin of error is the usual fix.
Yes. Use the character count with spaces, and check the target platform's current guidance, since display limits change over time and depend on device width.