What is a character counter and why use it
A character counter shows how many symbols are in your text. Marketers, copywriters, SEO specialists and listing authors use it to stay within platform limits: titles, descriptions, social posts, SMS and ad copy.
The tool shows characters with and without spaces at the same time — platforms often specify one or the other. You also get word and line counts to gauge overall volume.
Counter features
- With and without spacesBoth key metrics for ads, listings and social network limits.
- Instant updatesCounts refresh on every keystroke — no submit button needed.
- No registrationFree, no account. Text is processed only in your browser.
- Words and linesExtra stats for articles, posts and technical copy.
How to use the character counter
Counting characters takes a few seconds:
- Paste or type text into the input field.
- Check characters with and without spaces in the stats block above.
- Edit the text until you fit the required limit.
When you need a character count
Common use cases for an online character counter:
- SEO: title tags, meta descriptions, H1 and search snippets.
- Classifieds and marketplaces with character limits.
- Telegram, social media posts and bio descriptions.
- Paid search and display ad copy.
- SMS and push notifications with length caps.
- Specs, contracts and technical documentation review.
FAQ about counting characters
- What's the difference between with and without spaces?
- With spaces is the full text length including spaces and line breaks. Without spaces excludes all whitespace — only letters, digits and punctuation remain. Platforms use different rules; check their requirements.
- Are emoji and special characters counted?
- Yes. Every Unicode character is included: emoji, hyphens, quotes and punctuation.
- Is my text sent to a server?
- No. Counting runs locally in your browser. Your input is not stored or transmitted.
- Is it free?
- Yes, completely free with no registration.
- How do I count text from Word or PDF?
- Copy the fragment (Ctrl+C / Cmd+C) and paste it here with the Paste button or Ctrl+V.
- What is the SEO meta description character limit?
- Google typically shows about 150–160 characters in snippets. Aim for 150–160 characters with spaces for meta descriptions; titles are often kept under ~60 characters.