How the counter works
As you type, the tool counts:
- Characters — every letter, number, space, emoji and line break, counted the way people see them. An emoji like 👍 counts as one character here.
- Words — groups of characters separated by spaces.
- Sentences — text ending in a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark.
- Reading time — based on an average of 230 words per minute for silent reading, and 150 words per minute for speaking (useful for video scripts and voiceovers).
Social media character limits (2026)
| Where | Limit |
|---|---|
| Instagram caption | 2,200 |
| Instagram bio | 150 |
| X (Twitter) post — free account | 280 |
| YouTube title | 100 |
| YouTube description | 5,000 |
| TikTok caption | 4,000 |
| TikTok bio | 80 |
| LinkedIn post | 3,000 |
| Facebook post | 63,206 |
| Google title tag (approx. shown) | 60 |
| Meta description (approx. shown) | 160 |
Why some apps count differently
Platforms don't all count the same way. X counts emojis and some symbols as two characters and every link as 23. Some systems count "fancy font" letters (like 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝) as two characters because they sit outside the basic character set. If you're right at a limit, leave a few characters of room.
Tips for writing to a limit
- Cut filler words: "really", "very", "just", "in order to".
- Put the most important message in the first line — most platforms truncate long text with "more".
- Use line breaks instead of long paragraphs on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Frequently asked questions
Do spaces count as characters?
Yes. Almost every platform counts spaces and line breaks as characters. The tool also shows a count without spaces for school and translation work.
How many words is 280 characters?
Roughly 40–55 words, depending on word length.
Is my text saved anywhere?
No. Counting happens in your browser and nothing is sent to a server.
How is reading time calculated?
Words are divided by 230 words per minute for reading and 150 words per minute for speaking aloud.
