Markdown Word Counter
Paste Markdown or drop a .md file to see live word, character, sentence, and reading-time counts — Markdown syntax isn't counted.
Your file never leaves your device.
Drop a .md file here, or
- 0
- Words
- 0
- Characters
- 0
- Characters (no spaces)
- 0
- Sentences
- 0
- Paragraphs
- 0
- Reading time
About the Markdown word counter
This counter measures the readable content of your Markdown, not the syntax. It strips the Markdown to plain text first — so heading marks (<code>#</code>), emphasis markers (<code>*</code>), and link/image syntax are not counted as words — then reports words, characters (with and without spaces), sentences, paragraphs, and estimated reading time (at 200 words per minute). Counts update live as you type or paste. Everything runs locally in your browser; nothing is uploaded or stored.
Count without uploading — your text never leaves your device
This tool runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your Markdown is never uploaded to a server, never stored, and never leaves your device — so drafts and documents stay private while you count.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Markdown syntax count as words?
- No. The text is stripped to plain content first, so #, *, backticks, and link/image syntax are removed before counting. A heading like "## Results" counts as one word ("Results"), not two.
- How is reading time calculated?
- Word count divided by 200 words per minute — a common average silent-reading speed — rounded to the nearest minute (at least 1 minute for any content).
- Does this upload my file?
- No. Counting runs entirely in your browser — your Markdown is never sent to a server and never leaves your device.
- Is there a download?
- No — this tool shows counts, it doesn't produce a file. The numbers update live as you edit. If you want plain text out, use Markdown to Text.
- How are sentences and paragraphs counted?
- Sentences are counted by terminal punctuation (. ! ?); paragraphs by blank-line-separated blocks of the stripped text. Both are estimates — prose with many abbreviations or unusual punctuation may vary slightly.
More Markdown tools, coming soon
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