❓ Frequently Asked Questions – Word Counter
How does the word counter work?
The word counter analyzes your text in real-time as you type. Words are counted by splitting the text on whitespace and punctuation boundaries. Characters are counted both with and without spaces. The tool also counts sentences (by detecting periods, exclamation marks and question marks), paragraphs (by detecting double line breaks), and calculates reading and speaking time based on average human reading speeds.
How is reading time calculated?
Reading time is estimated based on average human reading speeds. Silent reading is calculated at ~238 words per minute (average adult reading speed). Speaking time uses ~130 words per minute. Slow reading uses ~150 words per minute and fast reading uses ~350 words per minute. These are estimates — actual reading time depends on the reader and text complexity.
What is keyword density and why does it matter?
Keyword density is the percentage of times a specific word appears in your text relative to the total word count. For SEO, a keyword density of 1–3% is generally considered optimal — high enough to show relevance without "keyword stuffing" which can hurt search rankings. The Keywords tab shows the top 30 most frequent words with their count and density percentage.
What is the Flesch Reading Ease score?
The Flesch Reading Ease score rates text on a 0–100 scale based on sentence length and word syllable count. Higher scores mean easier to read: 90–100 is very easy (5th grade), 60–70 is standard (8th-9th grade), 30–50 is difficult (college level), and below 30 is very difficult (professional). For web content, aim for 60–70 for broad accessibility.
Can I upload a file to count words?
Yes! Click the "Upload File" button to load a text file directly into the counter. Supported formats include .txt, .md (Markdown), .csv, .html, .js, .css, .json, and .xml. The file is processed entirely in your browser — it is never uploaded to any server.
How does the character limit tracking work?
Use the character limit presets (Twitter, Instagram, SMS etc.) or enter a custom number to set a limit. A visual progress ring and color-coded badge will show how close you are to the limit. The counter turns yellow at 90% usage and red when you exceed the limit. This is useful for writing social media posts or any content with a specific length requirement.