WordTally
Free Online Word Counter
Count words, characters, sentences and paragraphs as you type, with reading time and your most-used words.
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What is WordTally?
WordTally is a free online word counter that updates as you type. Paste an essay, article, cover letter or social post and see the word count, the character count with and without spaces, and how many sentences and paragraphs it has, all at once.
It also estimates how long your text takes to read and to say out loud, which helps when you are writing a speech or a script. A list of your most-used words shows where you repeat yourself, leaving out short common words like “the” and “and”.
Your text stays in your browser. WordTally keeps it on this device so it is still there if you reload the page, and it is never uploaded to a server. When you are done, copy the stats with one click or press Clear to wipe the text.
What you can do
Live word and character count
Words, characters and characters without spaces update with every keystroke, so you can trim to a limit as you write.
Sentences and paragraphs
See how many sentences and paragraphs your text has, handy for essays and structured writing.
Reading and speaking time
Estimates are based on about 238 words a minute for reading and 130 for speaking, rounded up to the next minute.
Most-used words
Your top eight words appear with how often they occur, so overused words are easy to spot.
Copy the stats
One click copies every count as plain text, ready to paste into a report or an assignment form.
Private and remembered
Text is kept only in this browser, so a reload won't lose your work. Press Clear to remove it.
How to use Word Counter
- Paste or type text
- Watch the counts update
- Copy the stats
Good for
- Keeping an essay or assignment within its word limit
- Fitting a post, bio or meta description to a character limit
- Timing a speech, presentation or video script
- Spotting words you use too often before you publish
Questions about Word Counter
Is this word counter free?
Yes, completely. WordTally counts as much text as you like, and you don't need an account because there is no file to save.
Does the character count include spaces?
WordTally shows both. Characters counts everything, including spaces and line breaks; No spaces leaves out all spaces, tabs and line breaks.
How is reading time worked out?
Reading time assumes about 238 words a minute, a common average for adults reading silently. Speaking time assumes about 130 words a minute, a relaxed pace for a talk.
Is my text uploaded or saved anywhere?
It is never uploaded. WordTally saves your text only in this browser so it survives a reload; press Clear to remove it.
How does it count words with hyphens or apostrophes?
Hyphenated words like “well-known” and words with apostrophes like “don't” count as one word each. Numbers count as words too.
Which words appear in the most-used list?
The eight words you use most, leaving out words of one or two letters and common words such as “the”, “and” and “with”.