Character Counter

Count characters, the exact way you need

Different platforms count differently — some include spaces, some don't. This counter shows both, plus words, sentences and lines, and updates instantly as you type. It even tracks how many characters you have left in a 280-character tweet.

Common limits to know

• Tweet / X post — 280 characters.
• SMS — 160 characters per message.
• SEO meta description — around 160 characters.
• SEO title tag — around 60 characters.

Need word-level detail and reading time? Use the word counter. Building a meta description? Try the meta tag generator.

How to use the character counter

1. Type or paste your text into the box — a tweet, a bio, a meta description or a whole essay.
2. Read the live counts. Characters (with and without spaces), words, sentences and lines all update on every keystroke.
3. Watch the tweet counter to see how many of your 280 characters remain; it turns red when you go over.
4. Trim or expand until you fit the limit, then copy your text back out.

Nothing is uploaded — counting happens in your browser, so even private drafts stay on your device.

Why platforms count characters differently

The reason a counter is worth having is that "length" isn't one number. Some limits count every character including spaces (Twitter/X, SMS), while form fields and databases sometimes count only visible characters. Search engines effectively measure the pixel width of a title, which is why the ~60-character guideline is a rule of thumb rather than a hard cap. And emoji or accented letters can count as two or more characters in some systems because of how they're encoded.

When your target is words rather than characters — an essay or article — switch to the word counter, which adds reading time and paragraph counts. Writing a search snippet? The meta tag generator previews how your title and description will appear. For assignment limits, see how to count words in an essay.

Frequently asked questions