Best Free Word Counters 2026: 6 Options Compared

A word counter is the simplest tool in this list, so the choice comes down to where your text already lives and how private it is. If you are writing in a document editor, use its built-in counter: Google Docs, Word for the web, LibreOffice Writer and Zoho Writer all show totals while you type, and nothing has to be pasted anywhere. If your text comes from an email, a form or a chat window, a browser-based counter is faster: paste, read the totals, close the tab. The catch is privacy. Online counters receive whatever you paste, and some say they process text in the page while others do not say, so keep contracts, unpublished drafts and anything sensitive inside an offline editor. Character counts matter too if you are writing posts or meta descriptions, and not every counter reports characters with and without spaces, so check before you rely on a limit. Spoken-word estimates such as reading time are extras that only some tools add. The picks below are all free to use, with no account for the browser tools and a free Google, Microsoft or Zoho account for the hosted editors. Limits and licence terms come from each product's own page as of the check date.

Ratatype Word Counter

A free browser page that counts words and characters as you paste. Paste text into the page for instant counts, with no software to install or sign-up step to complete.

Price: Free (Free online tool that counts words and characters; page text calls it free) (Ratatype Word Counter pricing, checked 2026-10-24).

Platforms and license: Web browser. Proprietary freeware.

Best for: Quick checks on pasted text.

WordToHTML Word Counter

Paste or type into the editor and it reports words and characters instantly with no sign-up. It sits beside other text tools from the same site.

Price: Free (Free online tool: paste or type text to count words and characters instantly) (WordToHTML Word Counter pricing, checked 2026-10-24).

Platforms and license: Web browser. Proprietary freeware.

Best for: Pasting from email or the web.

Google Docs

Google Docs has a built-in counter in the Tools menu and is free with a Google Account. It is only available inside Docs, not in Sheets or Slides.

Price: Free (Free for anyone with a Google Account; storage comes from the Google account quota) (Google Docs pricing, checked 2026-10-23).

Platforms and license: Web, iOS, Android. Proprietary.

Best for: Essays and shared drafts.

Compare: Google Docs alternatives

Microsoft Word

Word for the web is free with a Microsoft account, but files must be saved to OneDrive, which includes 5 GB on a free account. Totals show inside the editor.

Price: Free (Word for the web is free with a Microsoft account; files must be saved in OneDrive, which includes 5 GB on a free account) (Microsoft Word pricing, checked 2026-10-23).

Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web browser. Proprietary.

Best for: Anyone on Microsoft accounts.

Compare: Microsoft Word alternatives

LibreOffice

Free desktop suite under MPL-2.0 that works offline, so sensitive text never leaves your machine. Writer reports totals while you type.

Price: Free (download and use at no cost per its site) (LibreOffice pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux. MPL-2.0 (open source).

Best for: Offline and private writing.

Worth knowing: Desktop suite of Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base and Math; it has no built-in cloud storage or email.

Zoho Writer

Free for individuals and organizations with no document limit and accepts DOCX import up to 50 MB, so you can count text in an existing file.

Price: Free (Free for individuals and organizations with no document limit; DOCX import up to 50 MB) (Zoho Writer pricing, checked 2026-10-23).

Platforms and license: Web browser, Android, iOS. Proprietary.

Best for: Counting inside imported DOCX files.

Which one to pick

• You are pasting text from an email and need totals in seconds: WordToHTML Word Counter
• You write long drafts and want live totals as you type: Google Docs
• The text is confidential and must stay on your computer: LibreOffice
• You need to check an existing Word file without Microsoft 365: Zoho Writer