Count Characters in Text
Per-char counting & limits
What is Character Counter?
Live character, byte, word, line, paragraph, and sentence counts; plus reading time; for any text you paste or type. Bytes reflect the UTF-8 encoding, so you can see exactly how big the text is on the wire for an API payload, SMS message, or Twitter/X character limit (280 chars).
How do I use Character Counter?
- Paste or type text into the input panel.
- Statistics update live at the top.
When should I use Character Counter?
Character Counter is ideal for strict character limits (tweets, meta descriptions, SMS). For word-level stats and frequency analysis, use Word Counter instead.
Frequently asked questions
Does the counter include spaces?
Yes; the character count is the full length, spaces included. A separate count of non-space characters is shown alongside for quick reference.
Is this good for Twitter / X?
Yes; it matches Twitter's character count exactly, including how they weight emoji and URLs (URLs count as 23 characters on X).
What is the word count based on?
Words are any run of non-whitespace characters; the same definition used by Word and Google Docs.
Is my file uploaded anywhere?
No. Everything runs in your browser. Your files never leave your device, and there is no server component for this tool.
Tools that pair well with Character Counter
- Word Counter words, characters, reading time, free and in your browser.
- Case Converter camelcase, snake_case, etc., free and in your browser.
- Text Compare Tool diff checker with highlights, free and in your browser.
- Line Counter count lines in any text, free and in your browser.