Toolvantas

Text & writing utility

Word Counter

Use this free word counter to count words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, reading and speaking time, readability, and keyword density in your browser.

Enter or paste your text

Metrics update automatically as you type. Nothing leaves your browser.

Track progress toward an essay, blog, or word limit.
Speaking time uses 130 WPM.

Live document metrics

Total words

0 words
Characters (with spaces)0
Characters (no spaces)0
Sentences / Paragraphs0 / 0
Reading / Speaking time0 sec / 0 sec
Goal progress0% of 500
Readability estimateAdd text

Writing structure

  • Unique words0
  • Lines0
  • Average word length0 chars
  • Average sentence length0 words
  • Longest word—

Top keyword density

  • Type or paste text to inspect top keywords.—

How word count, reading time & readability are calculated

Different word processors define words slightly differently around hyphens, apostrophes, and non-Latin scripts. This tool uses Unicode-aware tokenization so English, European, South Asian, and Middle Eastern scripts are counted reliably.

  • Words: Contiguous letter or number sequences, keeping internal contractions and hyphenations (such as don't or long-term) as single words.
  • Reading & speaking time: Divides total words by your chosen silent reading speed (default 200 WPM) and a conversational presentation pace (130 WPM).
  • Readability (Flesch Reading Ease): Estimates sentence and syllable complexity on a 0–100 scale—scores of 60–70 suit general web readers, while 30–50 reflect academic or technical prose.

Target word count benchmarks

  • Academic abstracts & short essays: 150–300 words (abstracts) and 500–1,000 words (short college essays).
  • Blog articles & guides: 800–1,800 words depending on search intent and topic depth.
  • Speeches & video scripts: A 5-minute keynote or YouTube script needs roughly 650 words at 130 words per minute.
  • Keyword density tip: Aim for natural phrasing; primary single keywords typically fall around 1%–2.5% in balanced articles rather than repetitive stuffing.

Frequently asked questions

Does a hyphenated word count as one word or two?

Standard hyphenated compounds such as "well-known" or "twenty-five" and contractions like "we're" count as one word, matching modern editorial and academic conventions.

How is speaking time different from reading time?

Adults read silently at roughly 200–250 words per minute, whereas clear public speaking, podcasting, and voiceover narration average 125–140 words per minute to leave room for pauses.

Is my pasted document uploaded or stored anywhere?

No. Every count, readability calculation, and keyword analysis runs strictly inside your browser memory and disappears when you close or clear the page.

What are stop words in keyword density?

Stop words are common grammatical words ("the", "and", "of", "to", "in") that appear frequently in every English text. Hiding them surfaces your real topic keywords.

How many words are on a single-spaced vs. double-spaced page?

With standard 12-point font and 1-inch margins, one double-spaced page holds roughly 250–275 words, while one single-spaced page holds roughly 500 words.

Why might Microsoft Word or Google Docs differ by a few words?

Some editors count standalone punctuation dashes, bullet symbols, or URLs as words, whereas pure lexical counters count alphanumeric word tokens.

More on Toolvantas

Related tools you may need

Browse all tools →