How is the word count calculated?

Words are counted by splitting the text on whitespace — consecutive spaces, tabs, and newlines are treated as a single separator. Punctuation attached to a word (e.g. "don't") counts as one word.

How is reading time estimated?

Reading time uses 238 words per minute, the average silent reading speed for adults. The value rounds up to the nearest half-minute so you never underestimate.

Does this tool store my text?

No text is ever sent to a server. Everything runs in your browser. The target goal is optionally saved in localStorage so it persists across page reloads, but you can clear it at any time.

What happens when I exceed my target?

The progress bar fills to 100% and turns green, and the words-remaining stat switches to show how many words over target you are.

Can I use this for a maximum word count limit?

Yes. Set the target to your maximum, and the words-remaining count tells you exactly how much room you have left before going over.

Does the tracker work offline?

Yes. Once the page has loaded, all computation is local — no internet connection is needed.

Word Count Target Tracker

Set a word-count goal, paste your draft, and watch live progress: words written, words remaining, percentage done, and estimated reading time.

Word Count Goal

Live Stats

Words Written

Words Remaining

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Characters

Reading Time

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Progress 0%

Set a goal above to track progress.

Your Draft

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Summary

Set a word-count goal, paste your draft, and watch live progress: words written, words remaining, percentage done, and estimated reading time.

How it works

Enter your word count goal in the "Target" field (e.g. 1000 for a blog post).
Paste or type your draft text into the writing area.
Watch the live stats update: words written, words remaining, and percentage complete.
Click "Reset Text" to clear the draft and start a new session.

Use cases

Track daily writing quotas for novels, screenplays, or NaNoWriMo.
Monitor blog post or article progress against a target word count.
Measure how much content remains for assignment submissions.
Check whether a piece of copy meets a minimum or maximum length requirement.
Motivate consistent writing with a visual progress bar.
Estimate reading time alongside progress to match audience expectations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-09-22 · Reviewed by Nham Vu