Character Counter
The Character Counter reports total characters, characters without spaces, UTF-8 byte size, SMS segments at 160 characters and tweet-fit at 280.
- No length limits
- No registration
- Free forever
- Your text never leaves your browser
How to count characters
Paste or type
Counts update on every keystroke.
Check the limit you care about
SMS segments, tweet fit or raw UTF-8 bytes.
Trim the text
Edit until the number fits your target platform.
Copy nothing — just write
The counter never stores or sends your text.
Why byte size matters
Databases and APIs limit bytes, not characters — a 20-character string with emoji can be 40+ bytes.
SMS splits at 160 characters per segment, and each segment costs money.
Tweet limits count characters, so a 280-character tweet can carry far more information in CJK text than in English.
Counters shown
| Characters | All code points, with and without spaces |
|---|---|
| Bytes | UTF-8 encoded size |
| SMS | Segments at 160 characters |
| Tweet | Fits / over the 280 limit |
Your text never leaves your browser
Every tool runs locally on your device. Nothing you paste is uploaded, stored, or tracked.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my “short” text fail a byte limit?
Non-ASCII characters cost 2–4 UTF-8 bytes each. Check the Bytes row — it is almost always the answer.
Is the SMS estimate exact?
It uses the simple 160-character rule; real GSM-7 packing varies with special characters, but this estimate is right for plain text.
Does it count emoji as one character?
Yes — each grapheme counts once in the character totals and costs its real bytes in the byte total.