Online Character Count
A professional character counter with word frequency analysis, keyword density checker and character limit goals — free, live, and private in your browser.
Type or paste text in the Counter tab to see word frequency analysis.
Enter keywords above and press “Check density”.
What Is a Character Counter?
A character counter is a free online tool that counts every letter, digit, space and punctuation mark in your text instantly. Unlike a word counter, which counts words, a character counter measures the exact length of your text — and length is what social networks, search engines and messaging apps actually limit.
Character count vs word count
These two numbers answer different questions. Character count tells you the raw length of your text (for example, 280 characters for an X post). Word count tells you how many words you wrote (for example, 500 words for a short article). This tool shows both at the same time, so you never have to guess which one a platform wants.
Character Limits on Popular Platforms
Common character limits you can check with the goal tracker above:
| Platform | Character limit |
|---|---|
| X (Twitter) post | 280 |
| Instagram caption | 2,200 |
| Instagram bio | 150 |
| Facebook post | 63,206 |
| LinkedIn post | 3,000 |
| Google meta title | ~60 |
| Google meta description | ~160 |
| SMS (single message) | 160 |
Tips to Stay Within Character Limits
- Cut filler words: remove words like “very”, “really” and “just” — they add characters without meaning.
- Use active voice: “The team finished the report” is shorter than “The report was finished by the team”.
- Watch the goal bar: set your platform’s limit in the tool above and edit until the bar stays green.
- Check both counts: some platforms count spaces, others don’t — this tool shows both numbers.
How to use this tool
- Counter tab: paste your text — characters, words, sentences, reading time and reading ease update live. Set a character limit goal (e.g. 280 for X/Twitter) to track progress.
- Word Frequency tab: see your most-used words with counts and density to spot repetition.
- Keyword Density tab: enter keywords to check how often each appears and its density percentage.
Why character count matters
- SEO: keep meta titles near 60 and meta descriptions near 160 characters.
- Social media: X posts allow 280 characters; bios and captions have strict limits.
- Readability: word frequency and reading ease scores reveal repetitive or hard-to-read writing.
Frequently asked questions
How do I count characters online?
Paste or type your text into the counter box. The character count updates live as you type — no button press or signup needed.
Does the character count include spaces?
Both numbers are shown: total characters including spaces, and characters excluding spaces.
What is word frequency analysis?
Word frequency analysis lists the most-used words in your text with their counts and density percentages, helping you spot repetition or keyword stuffing.
How is keyword density calculated?
Keyword density is the number of times a keyword appears divided by the total word count, multiplied by 100.
Is my text uploaded anywhere?
No. All counting runs in your browser with JavaScript. Your text never leaves your device.
How many characters are in 100 words?
On average, about 500–600 characters including spaces — roughly 5–6 characters per English word. Paste your text above for an exact count.
Do line breaks count as characters?
Yes. Each line break counts as one character in the total. The “characters (no spaces)” number excludes spaces and line breaks.
What is a good character count for a meta description?
Keep meta descriptions between 150 and 160 characters so Google shows them in full. Select the “Meta description (160)” goal in the tool above to check yours.