Free Word Counter
Paste your text and watch live counts update instantly — words, characters, sentences, and more.
Count words the easy way
Whether you are writing an essay with a strict limit, drafting a resume that must fit on one page, or optimizing a blog post for search, knowing your word count matters. Utilo's free word counter updates live as you type — no buttons to press, no page reloads. Alongside the basics, you get character counts (with and without spaces), sentence and paragraph totals, estimated reading and speaking times, and a keyword density breakdown that writers and SEOs actually use.
Like every Utilo tool, it runs entirely in your browser. Your drafts, essays, and manuscripts are never uploaded anywhere, so you can count sensitive documents with complete confidence. There are no accounts and no limits — paste a tweet or a thesis, it handles both.
Not sure what count to aim for? Our word count guide breaks down target lengths for blog posts, essays, emails, and more — and explains why covering the topic beats chasing a magic number.
How to use the word counter
- Paste or type: put your text into the box above.
- Read the stats: counts update live on every keystroke.
- Check density: glance at the top keywords to spot overused words before you publish.
Frequently asked questions
How are words counted?
Text is split on whitespace, so any run of non-space characters counts as one word. Hyphenated compounds count as a single word, matching how most editors count.
What is the difference between characters with and without spaces?
"Characters" counts everything including spaces; "characters (no spaces)" excludes them. Social media bios and many forms use the with-spaces figure, while some publishing guidelines use the without-spaces one.
How is reading time calculated?
Reading time divides your word count by 200 words per minute — the average adult reading speed. Speaking time uses 150 words per minute, the typical pace for presentations.
Is my text uploaded anywhere?
No. All counting happens locally in your browser. Your text never leaves your device, so private documents stay private.
What is keyword density?
Keyword density shows your most-used meaningful words as a percentage of total words. Writers use it to catch accidental repetition, and SEOs use it as a rough check that a target phrase appears naturally.