SEO · Content Statistics
Word count checker: words, characters and keyword density
Paste your text and get the word count, characters with and without spaces, your most-used keywords and phrases, and a check against common length limits. Free, and nothing is uploaded: your text never leaves this page.
Worked example
Take the text "Free tools save time. Free tools that run in your browser keep your text private."
- Words: 15 (split on spaces).
- Characters: 81 including spaces, 67 without spaces (14 spaces).
- Keyword density: "free tools" appears twice, so 2 ÷ 15 × 100 = 13.3% as a two-word phrase. "free" alone is also 2 ÷ 15 = 13.3%.
- Reading time: 15 ÷ 238 = 0.06, rounded up to 1 min.
- Against a 160-character meta description: 81 of 160, so 79 characters remain.
How long should your content be?
- Blog posts: 1,500-2,500 words.
- Pillar articles: 3,000+ words.
- Product descriptions: 300-500 words.
- Meta descriptions: Google sets no length limit and truncates by device width, so 150-160 characters is a practical guideline, not a rule.
- Reading time: calculated at 238 words per minute, the average adult silent reading rate for English non-fiction (see the FAQ below).
Word count checker FAQ
How does this word counter count words?
A word is any run of characters separated by spaces, tabs or line breaks. "well-known" counts as one word and "e-mail me" as three. Different tools draw this line differently, so a count can differ by a few words between programs.
How are characters, sentences and paragraphs counted?
Characters counts every visible character, spaces and line breaks included, with each emoji or accented letter counted once; "Chars (no spaces)" leaves out all whitespace. Sentences are the pieces of text separated by a period, exclamation mark or question mark, so abbreviations such as "e.g." and numbers such as 3.14 can add extra sentences. Paragraphs are blocks separated by a blank line.
How is reading time calculated?
Words divided by 238, rounded up to the next minute. A meta-analysis of 190 studies found the average adult silent reading rate in English is 238 words per minute for non-fiction and 260 for fiction (Brysbaert, 2019, Journal of Memory and Language). Most adults fall between 175 and 300, so treat it as an estimate.
Is my text uploaded or saved?
No. The counting runs in your browser and the text is never sent to a server or stored. Closing the tab clears it.
Is there a word limit for SEO?
Google does not publish a target word count for ranking. On meta descriptions, Google says there is no length limit and that the snippet is truncated to fit the device width (Google Search Central: snippets). Use counts to keep writing tight, not as a ranking target.
Which related writing tool should I use?
Use Words to Pages to estimate document length, Keyword Density to inspect repeated phrases, and Readability Checker for reading ease and grade level.
What is the difference between characters with and without spaces?
Characters with spaces counts every character including spaces and line breaks. Characters without spaces leaves out all whitespace. Platform limits such as X and SMS count spaces, so use the first number for those and the second only when a form or assignment asks for it.
What is keyword density and what is a good percentage?
Keyword density is how often a word or phrase appears divided by the total word count, times 100. Google does not publish a target density and its search documentation advises writing naturally and not repeating words unnaturally (Google spam policies: keyword stuffing). Use the panel to catch accidental overuse, not to chase a figure.
What are the character limits for a tweet, SMS or meta description?
As of October 2026: posts on X allow 280 characters for standard accounts, a single SMS segment holds 160 characters in the GSM-7 alphabet, and Instagram captions allow 2,200 characters. Google sets no meta description limit and truncates by width, so about 160 characters is a practical guideline. Platforms change limits, so confirm on the platform.