07 / character-counter
free online tool
Character Counter
Count characters, bytes, and lines — with limits for Twitter, SMS and more.
Characters
0
Words
0
how to use
- 01
Paste or type text into the input area.
- 02
Select a platform preset (e.g. Twitter/X, SMS) to see if you're within limits.
- 03
Statistics update in real time.
about
What is this tool?
Character Counter provides detailed text statistics including character count, byte size, line count, and platform-specific limit checks. It's especially useful when writing for platforms with strict character limits like Twitter/X (280 chars) or SMS (160 chars).
why use this tool
- -Instantly know if your text fits within platform limits.
- -Byte count helps when working with APIs or databases.
- -Line count is useful for poetry, code, and scripts.
- -Completely private — your text never leaves your browser.
features
- -Character count (with and without spaces).
- -Byte length (UTF-8).
- -Line count.
- -Twitter/X, SMS, and Meta description limit indicators.
comparison
Character Limits by Platform
| Platform | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Twitter / X | 280 chars | URLs count as 23 chars |
| SMS | 160 chars | Multi-part above 160 |
| Meta description | 150–160 chars | Google truncates beyond this |
| LinkedIn post | 3,000 chars | First 210 shown without 'See more' |
All processing happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No files, text, or data are ever sent to a server. Your data stays on your device.
✦ tip from dragontail
A quick Dragontail tip: when writing meta descriptions, paste your text here first. Google shows roughly 155–160 characters — anything longer gets cut off with '...'. I've seen pages lose click-through rates just because the CTA at the end of a meta description was invisible. Keep it tight.
faq
Why does byte count differ from character count?
Some characters (like emojis or accented letters) use multiple bytes in UTF-8 encoding, so byte count can exceed character count.
How does Twitter count characters?
Twitter counts most characters as 1, but URLs always count as 23 characters regardless of length.
Is my text stored?
No. Everything runs in your browser and is cleared when you close the tab.