Free browser tool
Word & Character Counter
Count words, characters, sentences and reading time as you type. No account, no upload, no limit.
Word count splits on whitespace, which is what most assignment portals use.
Why counts differ between tools
Word count depends on how you split. Microsoft Word counts hyphenated compounds as one word; some CMSs split on punctuation. For a hard limit, check with the platform that enforces it.
Characters with and without spaces
Most submission portals specify one or the other and reject silently. The difference on a 2,000-word essay is around 12 percent.
Reading time
Calculated at 225 words per minute, the average adult silent reading speed for non-fiction. Technical content reads slower — assume 180.
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This tool runs entirely in your browser using standard web APIs. There is no server component, so there is nothing to upload and nothing to log.