Drafts slip past a word limit because the count only shows up at the end, after the writing is already done and the cutting is painful.
Word Counter keeps a live word total in front of you and lets you set a word goal, so you can see at a glance whether a piece is under, on, or over before you stop writing.
How to use Word Counter
- Paste or type your draft into the editor on the left.
- Optionally set a word goal, and the gauge shows how many words are left or how far over you are.
- Watch the word total update on every keystroke and trim until the draft fits.
Use cases
- Holding an essay or assignment to a set number of words before you submit it.
- Writing a brief or report that has to land inside an agreed word range.
- Keeping a product description punchy without padding it past the limit.
Good to know
Word Counter treats a word as a run of letters and numbers, so a hyphenated word and a contraction each count once and stray punctuation is ignored. Text is normalised to NFC first so accented letters are counted consistently, and everything runs in your browser with nothing uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
How does Word Counter decide what counts as one word?
It matches runs of letters and numbers, so hyphenated words and contractions such as cannot-be count as a single word and loose punctuation is skipped.
Can I set a target word count?
Yes. Enter a word goal and the gauge shows words remaining, or how many words you are over, as you edit.
Are numbers and dates counted as words?
Yes. A standalone number or a date like 2026 is treated as one word, the same way a reader would count it.