Free Word Counter Tool — Words, Characters, Reading Time
A word counter helps writers, students, and marketers track the length of their text. Whether you are writing an essay, blog post, social media caption, or email, knowing your word count matters.
How to Use the Word Counter
- Open the FlipMyCase Word Counter.
- Paste or type your text.
- See live stats: words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, and reading time.
All processing happens in your browser. Your text is never uploaded.
What the Word Counter Tracks
- Words: Split by whitespace, accurate for English and most Latin-script languages
- Characters (with spaces): Total characters including spaces
- Characters (no spaces): Useful for SMS limits and Twitter/X
- Sentences: Counted by period, exclamation mark, and question mark
- Paragraphs: Counted by line breaks
- Reading time: Based on 200-250 words per minute average
Common Word Count Requirements
| Context | Target | |---|---| | Tweet / X post | 280 characters | | Instagram caption | 125 characters (before "more") | | Meta description | 150-160 characters | | Blog post (SEO) | 1,500-2,500 words | | College essay | 250-650 words | | Cover letter | 250-400 words | | Resume summary | 50-100 words |
Why Word Count Matters for SEO
Studies consistently show that longer content tends to rank higher in Google search results. Pages ranking in the top 3 positions average 1,500+ words. This does not mean padding your content — it means covering topics comprehensively. Use the word counter to ensure you are meeting minimum thresholds without unnecessary filler.
Word Count in Different Tools
- Google Docs: Tools → Word count (or Ctrl+Shift+C)
- Microsoft Word: Bottom status bar or Review → Word Count
- VS Code: Install the "Word Count" extension
- Browser: Use FlipMyCase — works on any device, no install needed