Use this essay word counter to stay within assignment limits. Paste your draft to see exact word and character counts before submitting to Moodle, Canvas, or Google Classroom.

Leave a buffer of 5–10 words under the maximum in case your LMS counts differently.

How to use this tool

Paste your essay, note the word total, and compare to your rubric. Edit and recheck until you are in range.

Worked example

Example: a '500–650 word' prompt shows 642 words—within range without last-minute cuts.

When to use this

Final check before deadline.
Trimming an over-limit draft.
Confirming you meet a minimum word count.

Common mistakes

Counting the title when instructions exclude it.
Submitting before rechecking after edits.
Confusing characters with words on strict limits.

How it works

Counts words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs as you type. Reading and speaking time estimates use configurable average speeds. All counting works on your device.

Limitations

Word boundaries follow whitespace splitting. Hyphenated terms and CJK text may count differently than other tools.

Privacy and file handling

Your data stays on your device and is not uploaded.

Related Word Counter pages

These pages use the same word counter with examples tailored to different tasks.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Title and headings included?

Everything in the text box counts unless you remove them—follow your assignment rules.

Quotes included?

Yes, quoted text in the box is counted like any other words.

Minimum not met?

Expand analysis sections rather than adding filler—word count alone does not improve grades.

Page last reviewed: July 24, 2026

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