Writing
Character Counter
Last updated: June 19, 2026
A character counter is a text utility that tallies the exact number of characters in a given block of text. It counts letters, numbers, punctuation marks, special symbols, and spaces, or optionally excludes spaces depending on user settings. This tool is essential for writing text destined for platforms with strict length limits, such as social media posts, SMS messages, meta titles, meta descriptions, and database inputs. Writers and developers use it to ensure their copy fits within specified technical parameters.
Count characters with and without spaces, plus words, lines, and paragraphs. Pick a preset to track how close you are to a platform's limit, or set your own.
Quick Answer
Count the total characters in your text with or without spaces. Paste your text to instantly see if it fits within limits for social media or SEO metadata.
Limit preset
Characters (with spaces)
0
280 characters left in X / Twitter
Examples
Tweet at the limit
280 chars · 1 paragraph · ~50 words
Standard SMS
160 chars (GSM-7 charset)
Meta description
≈ 155 chars before truncation
How it works
Characters-with-spaces is the length of your text. Characters -without-spaces strips whitespace first. Lines are counted by line-break, paragraphs by blank line, and words by whitespace runs.
Platform limits are approximate guidelines — always confirm on the platform itself before posting at the limit.
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Frequently asked questions
'With spaces' counts every character you typed, including spaces, tabs, and line breaks. 'Without spaces' counts only the visible non-whitespace characters — useful when a publication's word count includes spaces but a coding limit does not.
X (Twitter) 280, SMS 160 (or 70 if any non-GSM character), Bluesky 300, Instagram caption 2,200, Meta title tag ~60, meta description ~160, LinkedIn post 3,000, headline 70.
We count display characters as your platform sees them. Emojis usually count as 2 characters on SMS (and on some platforms count more), so always double-check on the platform itself for limit-critical posts.
Yes. Counting happens entirely in your browser — your text is never sent or stored.
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