Free Online Character Counter
Count characters in any text instantly — with spaces and without. Essential for writing within character limits on Twitter/X (280 characters), Instagram captions, SEO meta descriptions (160 characters), and SMS messages (160 characters).
How to Count Characters
- Paste or type your text into the input box.
- Character count with and without spaces updates in real time.
- Set a character limit to see how close you are.
Character Limits You Should Know
| Platform / Use | Limit |
|---|---|
| Twitter / X post | 280 characters |
| Instagram caption | 2,200 characters |
| SEO meta description | 150–160 characters |
| SEO page title | 50–60 characters |
| SMS message | 160 characters |
| LinkedIn post | 3,000 characters |
| YouTube description | 5,000 characters |
Character Counter vs Word Counter — What's the Difference?
A word counter counts the number of words in a text. A character counter counts individual letters, numbers, spaces, and punctuation marks. Both are useful in different contexts — word count matters for essays and articles, character count matters for social media and SEO.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the character counter include spaces?
Yes. ClickSail shows both — characters including spaces and characters excluding spaces.
How many characters is a tweet?
Twitter/X allows up to 280 characters per post. URLs count as 23 characters regardless of length.
How long should an SEO meta description be?
Google typically displays 150–160 characters. Keep your meta description under 160 characters to avoid truncation in search results.
How many characters is a standard SMS?
A single SMS is 160 characters. Messages longer than this are split into multiple segments.
Is it free?
Yes, completely free with no account required.
Try the Tool
Ready to start counting? Use our free character counter tool now.
Open Character Counter* All tools are browser-based and private.