Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs, with reading and speaking time — instantly, in your browser.
A word counter counts the words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs in your text and estimates reading time. Paste your text into 99digest’s word counter to see live counts — everything runs in your browser, so your text is never uploaded or stored.
How word counting works
Words and sentences are detected using the Unicode standard for word and sentence boundaries, not a simple space-count — this handles punctuation and numbers correctly, and treats the parts of a hyphenated term as separate words. Characters are counted as full Unicode graphemes, so emoji and accented letters each count as one character, matching what you actually see on screen.
Reading time is estimated at 238 words per minute (based on a meta-analysis of average adult silent reading speed); speaking time at 150 words per minute (a common presentation-pacing guideline). Both are estimates — your own pace will vary.
FAQs
Do numbers count as words?
Yes. Any word-like token counts, including numbers and standalone digits. Words with apostrophes, like “don’t”, count as one word. Hyphenated terms are split at the hyphen, so “well-known” counts as two words and “state-of-the-art” as four, following the Unicode word-boundary rules rather than a simple space-count.
Are spaces counted as characters?
In the “Characters” count, yes — every character including spaces is counted. Use “Characters (no spaces)” if you need a count that excludes them.
How accurate is the reading time?
Reading time is estimated at 238 words per minute, based on a research meta-analysis of average adult silent reading speed. Your own reading speed will vary depending on the text and your familiarity with it.
Why does my count differ from Word or Google Docs?
Different tools use different rules for what counts as a “word” or a “sentence” — for example, how hyphenated words, abbreviations, or numbers are handled. This counter uses the Unicode standard for word and sentence boundaries, which may differ slightly from other software.
Is my text uploaded anywhere?
No. This tool runs entirely in your browser — your text is never sent to a server, uploaded, or stored anywhere.
How many pages is 1,000 words?
As a rough estimate, 1,000 words is about 2 pages single-spaced or 4 pages double-spaced in a standard 12-point font. This varies with font, margins, and formatting.