Character Counter
Count characters and stay under tweet, SMS, and meta tag limits — live.
Use on any page (bookmarklet)
Want Character Counter without leaving the page you're on? Drag the button below to your bookmarks bar, then click it on any website to open Character Counter right there — it runs entirely in your browser.
Use responsibly: a bookmarklet runs on whatever page you click it on. Avoid sensitive sites such as online banking, payment, or healthcare pages — you run it at your own risk. Everything is processed locally and no data is sent anywhere. See our Terms.
- Show your bookmarks bar if it's hidden — Ctrl+Shift+B (⌘+Shift+B on Mac).
- Drag the button above onto the bookmarks bar.
- Open any website and click the bookmark — the Character Counter panel appears in the top-right corner. Use ✛ to move it between corners, or ›/‹ to tuck it against the edge and pull it back out.
- Click the bookmark again (or the ✕) to close it.
Note: a few sites with strict security policies may block bookmarklets.
Examples
Check a tweet length
Input
A 45-character line of text for a quick demo.
Output
45 / 280 (Twitter/X) — 235 characters left
Trim a meta description
Input
A 172-character SEO meta description that runs a little long…
Output
172 / 160 (Meta description) — 12 over
About this tool
This free online character counter is built for one thing: staying under a character limit. Type or paste your text and watch live limit bars for a Twitter/X post, SMS message, SEO meta description, title tag, and Instagram caption — each showing exactly how many characters are left or how far over you are. It also shows the total character count, with and without spaces. Everything runs in your browser with no upload, so your writing stays private.
How to use
- Type or paste your text into the box (or click Sample to try it).
- Read the big character count — it includes spaces.
- Watch the limit bars to stay under caps like tweets, SMS, and meta descriptions.
- Check the secondary stats for characters without spaces, words, and lines.
Counting words instead?
If you want writing stats rather than character limits — word count, sentences, paragraphs, and estimated reading time — use the Word Counter. This tool stays focused on characters and platform limits.
Who uses a character counter
Social media managers staying under a Twitter/X or Instagram cap, SEO writers trimming title tags and meta descriptions to length, developers validating form fields, and anyone filling out an application with a strict character limit.
Frequently asked questions
Is this character counter free?
Yes — it's a completely free online character counter with no sign-up and no limits. Count as many characters as you need.
Does it show how many characters are left for a tweet or SMS?
Yes. That's the main feature: the limit bars show your count against a Twitter/X post (280), meta description (160), title tag (60), SMS (160), and Instagram caption (2,200), with exactly how many characters are left — or how many you're over.
Does it count characters with and without spaces?
Yes. The big number is the total including spaces, and a separate stat shows characters without spaces (and without any other whitespace).
What's the difference between this and the Word Counter?
The Character Counter is built for staying under character limits — its focus is the live limit bars for tweets, SMS, and meta tags. The Word Counter is for writing stats like word count, sentences, paragraphs, and reading time. Use whichever matches your goal.
Is my text uploaded anywhere?
No. Everything is counted in your browser with no upload, so your text never leaves your device — safe for private drafts.
Does it update live as I type?
Yes. The character count and every limit bar update instantly as you type or paste, so there's no button to press.
Does it count letters only, or everything?
It counts every character: letters, numbers, punctuation, symbols, and spaces. Use the 'no spaces' stat if you only want non-whitespace characters.
Learn more
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