Free Online Notepad with Word Count

This is a free online notepad with word count built right into the status bar at the bottom of the editor. You get both word count and character count, updating live as you type. No menu to open, no plugin to install, no signup. Useful when you're writing to a length (a 280-character tweet, a 500-word essay, a strict abstract) or just want to know how much you've written.

Where to find the word count

Look at the status bar at the bottom of the editor. You'll see something like: Ln 12, Col 4 • 234 words • 1,289 chars. Both numbers update on every keystroke. No need to highlight text, hit a hotkey, or open a counter — it's just always there.

How the count works

• Words: any non-whitespace token separated by spaces, tabs, or newlines. Standard word-count behavior.
• Characters: all characters in the note, including spaces and newlines. This is the raw character count — useful for character-limited fields like Twitter posts.
• Updates: immediately, on every keystroke. There's no delay or refresh required.
• Per-tab: the count shows the active tab's content only. Switch tabs and the count updates for that tab.

Why every free online notepad should have word count

It's a basic feature. Microsoft Word has had it since the 1990s. Google Docs has it. Your phone's notes app has it. But many free online notepads still don't — either because they're built around a minimum-viable textarea, or because they're trying to push you to a paid upgrade. There's no good reason a free online notepad with word count should be hard to find.

Other counters and helpers you get for free

• Line and column number — where the cursor currently is. Useful for navigating long notes or referencing positions when coding.
• Encoding and line endings — bottom right shows UTF-8 and LF, matching what Windows Notepad shows.
• Save state — the dot next to "Saved" pulses when there are unsaved changes (rare; autosave is nearly instant).

Common questions

Does it count words for a selection?

Currently, the count is for the entire active note. Selection-only count is on the roadmap — let us know if you'd use it.

How does it count hyphenated words?

As one word ("state-of-the-art" = one word). This matches Microsoft Word's default behavior.

Does it count markdown formatting characters?

Yes — the character count is raw text. If you write # Heading, that's 9 characters (the #, the space, and "Heading"). The word count counts "Heading" as one word.