Word & Character Counter
Count words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs instantly. See estimated reading time, compare against Twitter, SMS, Instagram, LinkedIn limits, and understand why UK SMS has a different limit than US SMS.
| Language / Region | Avg Reading Speed | 1,000 word article | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸🇬🇧 English | 238 wpm | ~4.2 min | Brysbaert 2019 |
| 🇫🇷🇪🇸 French / Spanish | ~195 wpm | ~5.1 min | Brysbaert 2019 |
| 🇩🇪 German | ~179 wpm | ~5.6 min | Brysbaert 2019 |
| 🇯🇵 Japanese | ~193 wpm | ~5.2 min | Character/word hybrid |
| 🇨🇳 Chinese | ~158 wpm | ~6.3 min | Character-based reading |
| 🇸🇦 Arabic | ~138 wpm | ~7.2 min | Right-to-left script |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does UK SMS have a 70-character limit for emoji?
Standard SMS uses GSM-7 encoding (7-bit), allowing 160 characters per message. When you include emoji, accented characters, or non-Latin scripts, the message switches to UTF-16 (16-bit UCS-2) encoding. This reduces the single-message limit from 160 to 70 characters. This applies worldwide — it's a technical SMS protocol limitation, not a UK-specific rule. Ofcom in the UK explicitly notes this distinction in consumer guidance.
How long should a blog post be for SEO?
There is no universal ideal length. Google's John Mueller has confirmed word count alone is not a ranking factor. However, comprehensive content tends to rank better because it covers more related queries. Common practical guidance: short posts 300–600 words, standard posts 800–1,200 words, long-form articles 1,500–2,500 words. UK content agencies typically target 1,200–1,800 words for standard SEO articles; US practices are similar.