Character Counter
Count characters with and without spaces and check your text against common limits such as SMS messages, meta descriptions and social media posts.
Runs in your browser. Your data is not uploaded.How our tools work
Emoji and accented letters count as one character each.
Character statistics
- Characters
- 0
- No spaces
- 0
- Characters without spaces
- Letters
- 0
- Words
- 0
Common length limits
- SMS (GSM-7)0 / 160 · 160 left
0 messages · 160 characters per SMS, 153 when split
- Page title (SEO)0 / 60 · 60 left
Longer titles are often cut off in search results
- Meta description0 / 160 · 160 left
Typical length shown in search results
- X (Twitter) post0 / 280 · 280 left
X counts some characters, such as emoji, as two
- YouTube title0 / 100 · 100 left
- Instagram caption0 / 2,200 · 2,200 left
- LinkedIn post0 / 3,000 · 3,000 left
How do I count characters with and without spaces?
Paste or type your text and the counter shows characters with spaces, without spaces, letters and words as you type. It also checks your text against common limits such as SMS messages, page titles, meta descriptions and social posts, and you can add a limit of your own.
Why do emoji count twice in some places, and which limits count spaces? Read our guide: What Counts as a Character? Spaces, Emoji and Limits
Key features
With and without spaces
Both counts are shown side by side, since different platforms count differently.
SMS segments
Shows whether your text uses the standard GSM alphabet or Unicode, and how many SMS messages it will take.
Common limits built in
Instantly see how much room is left for page titles, meta descriptions, X posts, YouTube titles, Instagram captions and LinkedIn posts.
Custom limit
Enter any limit, for example for ad text or a form field. Some web forms count an emoji as 2 characters where this counter shows 1, so leave a little room.
Common uses
- Write SEO titles and meta descriptions that aren’t cut off
- Keep text messages to a single SMS
- Fit social media posts and bios within limits
Why SMS limits change with emoji
Standard SMS uses a 7-bit alphabet (GSM-7) that fits 160 characters in one message. If your text contains any character outside that alphabet, such as an emoji or certain accented letters, the whole message switches to Unicode (UCS-2), and the limit drops to 70 characters. Longer messages are split into parts of 153 or 67 characters. Most emoji take up two of those positions, so the SMS count can be higher than the character count.
Some characters, such as €, [, ] and {, are in the GSM alphabet but take up two positions.
Related tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Do spaces count as characters?
Yes, in most places, including SMS, social media and meta descriptions. That’s why the main count includes spaces. The count without spaces is shown too, for requirements that exclude them.
Why does X (Twitter) show a different count?
X gives some characters, including emoji and Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters, a weight of two, and counts every link as 23 characters. This tool shows the plain character count, so X may show a slightly higher number.
How long should a meta description be?
Search engines typically display about 150–160 characters on desktop, fewer on mobile. Google trims by pixel width rather than a fixed count, so treat the number as a guide and put the most important information first.
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Related guides & tutorials
What Counts as a Character? Spaces, Emoji and Limits
What counts as a character, when spaces count, why emoji can count twice, and how to write within limits for SMS, page titles, posts and form fields.
What Counts as a Word? Hyphens, Numbers and Word Limits
Where to find a word count, how hyphens, numbers and dashes are counted, and how to work with word limits for essays, articles and speeches.
How Many Words Is a Page?
How many words fit on a page single- and double-spaced, what changes the count, and how to convert a page limit into words.