How to Count Words Online: The Complete Free Guide
Updated February 2026 · 7 min read
Quick Answer
The easiest way to count words online is to paste your text into a free word counter tool. It instantly shows word count, character count, sentence count, reading time and more — no sign up required.
Why Count Words?
Essays and Academic Work
Most academic assignments have required word counts. Counting words ensures you meet minimum requirements and do not exceed maximum limits.
Blog Posts and SEO
Word count is important for SEO. Knowing your word count helps you hit the optimal length for your target keyword and audience.
Social Media
Each platform has character limits. Twitter has 280 characters per tweet. Instagram captions have a 2200 character limit. LinkedIn posts have a 3000 character limit.
Professional Writing
Freelance writers are often paid per word. Journalists have strict word limits. Knowing your exact word count is essential for professional writing work.
Reading Time
Knowing your word count lets you calculate reading time. Adding reading time to blog posts improves reader engagement and reduces bounce rate.
NaNoWriMo
National Novel Writing Month challenges writers to write 50000 words in November. Tracking daily word count is essential to hitting the goal.
How to Count Words in Different Applications
Microsoft Word
- →The word count is shown in the bottom left status bar
- →Go to Review tab and click Word Count for full statistics
- →Select specific text to count words in just that selection
- →Use Ctrl+Shift+G to open the word count dialog quickly
Google Docs
- →Go to Tools menu and select Word Count
- →Press Ctrl+Shift+C on Windows or Cmd+Shift+C on Mac
- →Check the box to display word count while typing
- →Select text first to count words in a specific section only
Apple Pages
- →Go to View menu and select Show Word Count
- →The word count appears at the bottom of the document
- →Click the word count to toggle between words and characters
- →Select text to count words in a specific section
Any Platform — Online Tool
- →Copy your text from any application
- →Open a free word counter tool in your browser
- →Paste your text into the text box
- →See instant word count, character count, reading time and more
Common Word Count Requirements
| Type of Writing | Typical Word Count |
|---|---|
| Tweet | Up to 280 characters (~50 words) |
| Instagram Caption | Up to 2200 characters (~400 words) |
| High School Essay | 500-800 words |
| College Application Essay | 250-650 words |
| Standard Blog Post | 1000-2500 words |
| Research Paper | 3000-8000 words |
| Short Story | 1000-7500 words |
| Novella | 17500-40000 words |
| Novel | 70000-100000 words |
Count Your Words Free Now
Use our free word counter to instantly count words, characters, sentences and paragraphs in any text. No sign up, no downloads, completely free.
Count Words Free Now →Frequently Asked Questions
How do I count words online for free?
Use a free online word counter tool. Paste or type your text and it instantly shows your word count, character count, sentence count, reading time and more. WordCounterTool.net is a free option with no sign up required.
How do I count words in Microsoft Word?
In Microsoft Word, the word count is displayed in the bottom status bar. You can also go to Review > Word Count for detailed statistics including words, characters, paragraphs and lines.
How do I count words in Google Docs?
In Google Docs, go to Tools > Word Count or press Ctrl+Shift+C (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+C (Mac). You can also enable the word count display at the bottom of the document.
Do spaces count as characters?
It depends on the tool. Most word counters offer both character count with spaces and without spaces. For social media limits like Twitter's 280 characters, spaces do count.
What should my essay word count be?
High school essays are typically 500-800 words. College essays are 1000-1500 words. Research papers are 3000-5000 words. Always check your assignment requirements as these vary significantly by teacher and institution.