What is the character limit for social media posts?

Twitter/X allows 280 characters, Instagram captions up to 2,200 characters, Facebook posts up to 63,206 characters, LinkedIn posts up to 3,000 characters, and TikTok captions up to 2,200 characters.

Word Counter Online - Count Characters, Sentences & Reading Time

Q: What's the difference between characters and characters without spaces?

Characters counts every letter, number, symbol, and space in your text. Characters without spaces excludes all whitespace, giving you only the actual typed characters. This is useful for platforms like Twitter that count characters differently.

Q: How is reading time calculated?

Reading time is calculated based on an average reading speed of 200 words per minute, which is the typical adult reading pace. Speaking time would be approximately 150 words per minute.

Q: Is my text stored or uploaded anywhere?

No. All processing happens locally in your browser using JavaScript. Your text never leaves your device and is never sent to any server. This makes our word counter 100% private and secure.

Q: How many words should a blog post be?

For SEO purposes, blog posts typically perform best at 1,000-2,500 words. However, the ideal length depends on your topic: quick answers can be 300-600 words, while comprehensive guides may be 2,000-4,000+ words.

How to Count Words Online

Using our free word counter is simple: just type or paste your text into the editor above. All counts update instantly in real-time—no buttons to click, no waiting. You'll immediately see:

Word count – Total number of words in your text
Character count – All characters including spaces
Characters without spaces – Letters, numbers, and punctuation only
Sentence count – Based on periods, question marks, and exclamation points
Paragraph count – Detected by line breaks in your text
Reading time – Estimated at 200 words per minute (average adult speed)

You can also drag and drop a text file directly into the editor to count words from documents.

Social Media Character Limits (2026)

Staying within character limits is crucial for social media posts. Here's a quick reference guide:

Platform	Character Limit	Notes
𝕏 Twitter/X	280	Premium users get 25,000 characters
📸 Instagram Caption	2,200	Only first 125 chars show in feed
📘 Facebook Post	63,206	Truncates after ~477 characters
💼 LinkedIn Post	3,000	Articles can be much longer
🎵 TikTok Caption	2,200	Keep it short for engagement
📌 Pinterest Pin	500	Title limit is 100 characters
🔍 Google Meta Title	50-60	~600 pixels display width
🔍 Google Meta Description	150-160	~920 pixels display width

Content Type	Word Count	Pages (approx)
Twitter/X Post	40-50 words	—
Email Subject Line	6-10 words	—
Product Description	100-300 words	½ page
Short Blog Post	300-600 words	1 page
Standard Blog Post	1,000-1,500 words	2-3 pages
Long-form Article (SEO)	2,000-3,000 words	4-6 pages
College Essay	500-750 words	1-2 pages
High School Essay	300-500 words	1 page
Cover Letter	250-400 words	1 page
Short Story	1,000-7,500 words	2-15 pages
Novella	20,000-50,000 words	80-200 pages
Novel	70,000-120,000 words	280-480 pages

Who Uses Word Counters?

✍️ Writers & Bloggers

Track daily writing goals, ensure blog posts meet SEO length requirements (1,500+ words rank better), and monitor article length for different publications.

🎓 Students & Academics

Meet essay word count requirements, check dissertation chapter lengths, and ensure assignments fall within specified limits. Most academic papers require specific word counts—this tool helps you stay on track.

📱 Social Media Managers

Craft posts that fit platform character limits. Optimize captions for Instagram (2,200 chars), Twitter/X (280 chars), and LinkedIn (3,000 chars) without getting cut off.

🔍 SEO Professionals

Analyze content length against competitors, ensure meta descriptions fit Google's display limits (150-160 characters), and optimize title tags (50-60 characters).

📧 Email Marketers

Keep subject lines punchy (under 50 characters for mobile), write concise preview text, and ensure emails aren't too long for reader attention spans.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I count words in my text?

Simply paste or type your text into the editor above. The word counter automatically updates in real-time, showing words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, and estimated reading time instantly. No buttons to click!

What's the difference between characters and characters without spaces?

"Characters" counts everything including spaces, while "Characters without spaces" counts only letters, numbers, and punctuation. Some platforms (like certain SMS systems) count characters differently, so both metrics are useful.

How is reading time calculated?

Reading time is calculated at 200 words per minute, which is the average adult reading speed. For speaking time (presentations, speeches), estimate 150 words per minute instead.

Is my text stored or uploaded anywhere?

No! All processing happens locally in your browser using JavaScript. Your text never leaves your device—it's 100% private. We don't store, transmit, or have access to anything you type.

How many words should a blog post be for SEO?

Studies show that longer content (1,500-2,500 words) tends to rank higher on Google. However, quality matters more than quantity. A well-written 1,000-word post can outrank a padded 3,000-word article. Aim for comprehensive coverage of your topic.

Can I count words in a PDF or Word document?

Yes! Simply open your document, select all text (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A), copy it (Ctrl+C or Cmd+C), and paste it into our editor (Ctrl+V or Cmd+V). You can also drag and drop .txt files directly into the editor.

Related Text Tools

Need to do more with your text? Try these free tools:

🔒 100% Private & Secure

Your privacy matters. Unlike other word counters that may upload your text to servers, TextSorter processes everything locally in your browser. Your text never leaves your device—we can't see it, store it, or access it in any way. Use our word counter with complete confidence for sensitive documents, confidential work, or personal writing.

📊 Word Counter