Character Counter
Count characters, words, sentences and paragraphs instantly, plus check your text against a custom character limit.
Paste or type your text below to instantly see your character count, word count, sentence count, paragraph count, line count, and estimated reading and speaking time.
Your text is processed in your browser and is not uploaded or stored.
Character Limit Checker
Set a limit above to check your text against it.
How to Use the Character Counter
- Type directly into the box above, or paste in text you already have - your character, word, sentence, paragraph and line counts update instantly as you type, with no button to press.
- If you need to fit a specific length, pick a quick preset or enter your own custom character limit to see exactly how many characters you have used, how many remain, and what percentage of the limit you have reached.
- Use Copy Text to copy your text to the clipboard, or Clear Text to start over.
What Is a Character Counter?
A character counter measures the exact length of a piece of text, letter by letter, rather than by word. This matters whenever a form, platform, or requirement sets a limit in characters rather than words - the DONToolbox Character Counter shows both the count including spaces and the count excluding spaces, so you can match whichever definition applies to what you are writing for.
Why Character Count Matters
Character limits show up in more places than most people expect. Social media posts, SEO page titles and meta descriptions, online application and form fields, essay and assignment requirements, advertising copy, website content blocks, and SMS or text message preparation all commonly enforce a maximum character count rather than a word count - going even slightly over can mean a title gets cut off in search results, a form rejects a submission, or a message splits into extra parts.
Character Count vs Word Count
Word count measures how many separate words a piece of text contains, regardless of how long each word is. Character count measures the total number of letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and (depending on which count you use) spaces - a single long word can use up far more characters than several short ones. A platform or form that limits by characters cares about total length; one that limits by words cares about content volume. Knowing which one applies avoids an unpleasant surprise when submitting text.
Characters With Spaces vs Without Spaces
"Characters with spaces" counts every character in the text, including the space bar presses between words. "Characters without spaces" counts only the visible characters - letters, numbers, and punctuation - leaving spaces out entirely. Different platforms and requirements specify one or the other, so the Character Counter always shows both at the same time.
Using the Character Limit Checker
The quick presets above cover common lengths used for things like short messages, headlines, and longer form fields - click one to instantly check your text against it, or type your own custom limit into the field if you need a different number. The result shows characters used, characters remaining, and the percentage of the limit reached; if your text runs over the limit, it clearly shows how many characters over you are, without ever deleting or shortening what you have written.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the DONToolbox Character Counter free?
Yes. It is completely free, with no registration and no limit on how much text you can count.
Does the counter include spaces?
It shows both figures at the same time: characters including spaces, and characters excluding spaces, so you always have whichever count you need.
Can I count characters without spaces?
Yes. The "Characters (no spaces)" statistic updates in real time alongside every other count.
Does it count words too?
Yes. Word count, sentence count, paragraph count, and line count are all shown alongside the character counts.
Is my text uploaded or stored?
No. Every count is calculated directly in your own browser as you type. Your text is never uploaded, sent to a server, or stored anywhere.
Can I set my own character limit?
Yes. Choose one of the quick presets, or type any custom limit into the character limit field to check your text against it.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes. The Character Counter works on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
Can I use it for SEO writing?
Yes. It is well suited to checking page titles and meta descriptions against a target character length before publishing.
Can I use it for social media text?
Yes. Pick a preset close to your platform's limit, or enter its exact current limit as a custom value, and check your post before you publish it.
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