Zellio.io

Word & Character Counter

Count words, characters, sentences and reading time as you type.

Processed locally — nothing is uploaded

About Word & Character Counter

Where limits bite, definitions matter: character counts including spaces are what meta-description and post caps measure, while word totals can differ from a desktop editor's over how each treats hyphenates and numerals. Reading time assumes roughly 200 words per minute.

This word and character counter tallies your text the instant you type or paste it: total words, characters with and without spaces, sentences, paragraphs and lines. It also estimates reading and speaking time, so writers, students and marketers can hit length targets for essays, meta descriptions, tweets, ad copy or scripts with confidence.

Beyond raw counts it surfaces keyword density — the words you use most, with their share of the total — which helps when tightening copy or checking a target phrase is neither overused nor absent. Density is a diagnostic rather than a target; writing to hit a percentage reads exactly as badly as it sounds.

Learn how this works

Working With Text: Case, Diffs, Fonts & TranslationChange case, compare versions, generate fancy fonts, summarize and translate text — a guide to fast, private text tools.6 min readCharacter Encoding Explained: ASCII, Unicode and UTF-8Why text turns into question marks and mojibake, what Unicode actually is, and how UTF-8 fixed a decades-old mess.5 min read

Frequently asked questions

Is my text uploaded anywhere?

No. Everything runs locally in your browser using standard web APIs — your text, files and inputs are never uploaded to a server, so the tool works even offline once the page has loaded.

How is reading time estimated?

Reading time assumes an average of about 200 words per minute for typical adult readers, and speaking time about 130 words per minute for clear, natural speech. These estimates help you gauge document length for blog posts, presentations, and scripts without needing external tools. Keep in mind that reading speed varies by audience (children read slower, technical readers may read faster on specialized content) and speaking time depends on pacing and pauses, so these estimates should be treated as general guidance rather than exact figures. Adjust expectations based on your specific audience and presentation style.

What counts as a word?

Any run of letters or numbers (including hyphenated and apostrophed forms like 'well-known' or 'it's') counts as one word, while punctuation and standalone symbols are ignored. This means contractions like 'it's' and 'don't' count as single words, while hyphenated compounds like 'state-of-the-art' typically count as one word depending on hyphenation style. Numbers are counted (whether written as digits or words), but pure punctuation like commas, periods, or dashes doesn't increment the word count. This standard word-counting convention matches most word processors and publishing industry standards for word count reporting.

More Word & Character Counter tools

Character Counter

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