How to Count Characters — Count Words, Characters & Bytes (With/Without Spaces)

A cover letter "within 500 characters," an assignment "1,000 characters including spaces," an application form "limited to 2,000 bytes"… You need to land exactly on the limit, but opening a word processor to check each time is a hassle. A word processor's character count can be confusing about whether spaces are included, and it doesn't show byte counts at all.

This article covers the simplest way to tally your character count in real time the moment you paste your text. You can see characters with and without spaces simultaneously, plus words, lines, and bytes at a glance.

How to count — just paste

Simply type or paste your text into the input box on the character counter screen. The numbers update the instant you type or edit, so it's perfect for trimming your writing to fit a limit. There's no button to press and no need to refresh.

"With spaces" vs "without spaces" — what's the difference

The same text can have a different character count depending on the rule. Since the cutoff can hinge on which standard a recipient uses, always check first.

• With spaces — Counts every space and line break too. Most "within N characters" instructions use this standard.
• Without spaces — Counts only the actual characters, excluding spaces. Some institutions and universities apply this standard.

This tool shows both at the same time, so whichever standard is required, you can match it on a single screen.

When do you need bytes?

Older message boards and government systems sometimes limit length by bytes rather than characters. A Korean (Hangul) character is usually 2–3 bytes, so the same "1,000" means something completely different by character count versus byte count. When you see a note like "within 2,000 bytes," match the byte count rather than the character count.

Tools that pair well

Once you've finished writing, carry it into a document ready for submission.

• Written in Hancom Hangul (HWP)? → Convert with Hangul → PDF to match the required format.
• Need to bundle several documents? → Combine them into a single file with Merge PDF.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Does it show both with and without spaces?
Yes. It shows the character count with spaces and without spaces at the same time. Just pick the one that matches the recipient's standard.

Q. Can I also check the byte count?
Yes. The byte count is shown alongside the character count. Use it directly for cases like a "2,000-byte limit."

Q. Where is my text sent?
Nowhere. It's calculated entirely inside your browser and is not transmitted or stored on a server. You can safely paste sensitive text like a cover letter.

Q. Does it count Korean, English, and emoji accurately?
Yes. It counts characters by Unicode and shows bytes as well.