How to Count Words in an Essay (Free Word Counter)

Essays and assignments almost always come with a word limit, and going over (or under) can cost you marks. Here's how to check your word count for free — plus a few extras that make editing easier.

Words, characters, and reading time

A good counter shows more than one number: total words (for the limit), characters (with and without spaces, useful for forms with strict caps), sentence and paragraph counts, and an estimated reading time — handy for presentations and speeches.

Count your essay in 2 steps

1. 1Open the Word Counter and paste your essay — or upload a .txt file.
2. 2Watch the word and character counts update live as you edit, and trim or expand until you hit the target.

Private and free

Your text is analysed in your browser and never uploaded or stored — safe for unpublished work. Use the keyword-frequency view to catch words you've overused and tighten your writing before you submit.