---
title: "Word counter with character count and reading time"
description: "Free word counter. Paste a caption, bio or post to count its words, characters and sentences, with reading time and a 280-character check."
canonical: "https://www.meadowdesk.com/tools/word-counter"
last_modified: "2026-10-27"
---

# Word counter

Source: https://www.meadowdesk.com/tools/word-counter

Free word counter. Paste a caption, bio or post to count its words, characters and sentences, with reading time and a 280-character check.

Paste a caption, a bio or a post and see its words, characters, sentences and reading time, plus how much room is left of a 280-character post.

## How to use it

1. Paste or type your text into the box.
2. Read the counts: words, characters, and characters without spaces.
3. Check the sentences, the reading time and how many characters are left of 280.
4. Edit until it fits, then copy your text back out.

## Word counter FAQ

**Why does an emoji count as two characters?**
Many emoji are stored as two units of text, and some, like a flag or a family, as more. This counter shows what the browser stores, which can be more than you see. Social sites count emoji their own way, so leave a little room.

**How long should a caption or bio be?**
Shorter than the limit. Instagram cuts captions off after about two lines behind a more link, and most bios allow 150 to 160 characters. Put the point first, so it survives the cut.

**How is reading time worked out?**
Words divided by 200, a relaxed pace for reading on screen, rounded to the nearest minute and never under one. Technical or dense writing reads slower, so allow more.

**Can I check a password length here?**
You can, but the [password generator](https://www.meadowdesk.com/tools/password-generator) is the better tool: it makes a password of exactly the length you set and tells you how strong it is. Avoid pasting real passwords into any website you do not trust.

**How long should a page title be?**
Search results show roughly 50 to 60 characters before cutting a title off. Count yours here, and keep the address short too: the [slug converter](https://www.meadowdesk.com/tools/slug-and-case-converter) turns the title into one.