Type or paste any text into the counter above. Characters, words, sentences, and paragraphs update instantly as you type — no button to press, no page reload.
2
Read your statistics
See character count, word count, sentence count, reading time, speaking time, keyword density, and Flesch readability score — all updated live with every keystroke.
3
Check against platform limits
Select a preset — Twitter (280), Instagram (2,200), SMS (160), Meta Description (155) — or enter a custom limit. The progress bar shows exactly how close you are in real time.
Who uses Character Counter?
Writers & bloggers
Writers use our word counter to hit essay limits, check reading time for blog posts, and analyse sentence length to improve readability for their audience.
Social media managers
Social media professionals use our counter to craft tweets, Instagram captions, and LinkedIn posts that stay within platform limits — without switching between tools.
SEO professionals
SEO specialists use our counter to write meta descriptions (under 155 chars) and page titles (under 60 chars) that display fully in Google search results without truncation.
Students
Students use our word counter to check essays, dissertations, and college applications against strict word limits — including the Common App's hard 650-word limit.
Developers
Developers use our character counter to validate input lengths, test SMS APIs, and check database field limits during development — fast, private, no sign-up required.
Content marketers
Content teams use the Flesch readability score to ensure copy is pitched at the right reading level — typically 60–70 for general audiences, higher for consumer brands.
About Character Counter
Character Counter is a free online text analysis tool that counts characters, words, sentences, paragraphs, spaces, letters, and numbers in real time as you type — with zero page reloads and no account required. It is trusted by writers, social media managers, SEO professionals, students, and developers who need accurate, instant text statistics.
The character limit checker includes presets for every major platform: Twitter / X (280 chars), Instagram captions (2,200 chars), LinkedIn posts (3,000 chars), SMS (160 chars), Facebook posts (63,206 chars), Meta Descriptions (155 chars), and Page Titles (60 chars). Set a custom limit for any platform not listed. The progress bar turns orange at 80% and red when you exceed the limit — so you always know exactly where you stand.
The readability score uses the Flesch Reading Ease formula — the industry-standard measure used by educators, publishers, and content strategists worldwide. Scores of 60–70 indicate plain English suitable for most adults. Academic writing typically scores 30–50. The keyword density tool shows which words appear most frequently, helping writers identify over-used terms and optimise content for search engines.
Unlike other character counting tools, Character Counter processes everything locally in your browser. Your text is never transmitted to any server, stored in any database, or shared with any third party. There are no ads, no sign-ups, no cookies tracking what you write, and no data collection of any kind. It works on any device and any modern browser — and continues to work offline once the page has loaded.
Character & Word Count Guides
Everything you need to know about character limits across platforms and use cases.
Social Media
Twitter / X Character Limit in 2026: Everything You Need to Know
Twitter allows 280 characters per tweet — but not all characters are equal. URLs count as exactly 23 characters regardless of length, and emoji count as two characters each. Here's how to make every character count.
5 min read·
280chars per tweet
23chars per URL
2chars per emoji
Front-load your key message in the first 100 characters
Use Twitter's native URL shortener — all URLs count as 23 chars
Threads let you chain tweets for longer content
Twitter Blue / X Premium subscribers can post up to 25,000 characters in long-form posts
Instagram supports up to 2,200 characters in captions, but only the first 125 characters appear before the "more" button. Hashtags count toward the character limit and Instagram allows up to 30 per post.
6 min read·
2,200max chars
125visible before "more"
30max hashtags
Put the most important info and CTA in the first 125 characters
Use line breaks to improve readability for longer captions
Word Count Guide for College Essays: Common App & Beyond
College essays have strict word limits that vary by school and prompt. The Common App personal statement has a hard 650-word limit. Going even one word over can disqualify your application at some schools.
7 min read·
650Common App limit
250typical supplement
100–650supplemental range
Aim for 10% under the limit — it shows editorial discipline
The Common App counts contractions as one word
Numbers written as digits (e.g. "2026") count as one word
Hyphenated words like "well-written" typically count as one word
Meta Description Length: How to Write Descriptions Google Won't Cut Off
Google displays approximately 155–160 characters of a meta description in search results. Going over doesn't penalise your ranking, but truncated descriptions get fewer clicks. Here's the exact formula.
4 min read·
155ideal max chars
120safe minimum
60page title limit
Include your target keyword naturally in the first 60 characters
Write for humans first — Google may rewrite it anyway
Use the "Meta Description" preset in our limit checker above
Mobile shows slightly fewer characters — aim for 120 to be safe
Facebook Character Limits in 2026: Posts, Ads & Pages
Facebook posts technically support up to 63,206 characters — but posts with 40–80 characters consistently get the highest engagement. Facebook ads have much stricter limits: headlines are capped at 40 characters and primary text at 125.
5 min read·
40–80optimal post length
40ad headline limit
125ad primary text
Keep organic posts between 40–80 characters for maximum reach
Ad headlines must fit in 40 characters — front-load the benefit
Primary text shows 125 chars before "See more" in the feed
Pinterest Character Limits: Pin Descriptions, Titles & More
Pinterest pin descriptions support up to 500 characters, but only around 50 show in the feed — making those first words critical. Pin titles are capped at 100 characters and are Pinterest's most important SEO ranking signal.
4 min read·
500pin description
100pin title limit
50visible in feed
Put keywords in the first 50 characters of your pin description
Pin titles are the strongest Pinterest SEO signal — use your main keyword
Use up to 20 hashtags — but quality over quantity
Board descriptions (500 chars) also help your content rank on Pinterest
Twitter / X allows 280 characters per tweet. URLs are always counted as 23 characters regardless of their actual length. Use the Twitter preset in the Character Limit Checker above to track your count in real time.
What is the Instagram caption character limit?
Instagram captions can be up to 2,200 characters long, but only the first 125 characters show before the "more" button. For maximum engagement, front-load your key message in the first 125 characters.
How long should a meta description be?
Google typically displays the first 150–160 characters of a meta description. Keep yours between 120 and 155 characters to avoid truncation in search results. Use the "Meta Description" preset above.
What is the word count for a college essay?
Common App essays have a 650-word limit. Most supplemental essays range from 150 to 650 words. Always check the specific requirements of each school — use the custom limit field above to set your exact word or character target.
How is reading time calculated?
Reading time is estimated at 238 words per minute, which is the average silent reading speed for adults reading non-technical prose. Speaking time uses 150 words per minute, the average for natural conversational speech. These are estimates — actual times vary.
What is a Flesch Reading Ease score?
The Flesch Reading Ease score rates text on a scale of 0–100. Higher scores mean easier reading. Scores of 60–70 are considered plain English suitable for most adults. Academic writing typically scores 30–50. Aim for 60+ for general audiences.
Is my text stored or sent anywhere?
No. All counting and analysis happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your text is never transmitted to our servers. We have no ability to see, store, or access anything you type.
What is the LinkedIn post character limit?
LinkedIn posts support up to 3,000 characters. However, only the first 140 characters are visible before the "see more" prompt. Articles on LinkedIn have no practical character limit.