What it counts
A word is any run of letters or digits, so "don't" counts once, a number such as 2024 counts as one word, and a stray dash counts as nothing. A hyphenated word such as "e-mail" counts as two. Sentences end at a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark, and abbreviations like "e.g." are mostly recognised. Paragraphs are separated by a blank line.
Reading and speaking time
Reading time assumes 238 words a minute, the average for adults reading non-fiction silently in Brysbaert's 2019 review of 190 studies. Speaking time assumes 150 words a minute, a comfortable pace for a talk or a presentation. Both are averages, so treat them as a guide rather than a stopwatch.
Private by design
The counting happens in this page as you type. Nothing you write is uploaded or saved, so it is safe to paste a draft, an essay or an email you have not sent yet. Close the tab and it is gone.
Questions
How many words is a page?
About 500 words single-spaced, or 250 double-spaced, in a 12-point font with normal margins. It varies with the font and layout, so use the word count rather than the page count when a limit matters.
What are the most used words for?
They show the words you lean on. Common words such as the, and and was are left out, so what remains is the words that repeat in your own writing, with how often each appears.
Does it count words in other languages?
Yes. It uses your browser's own word rules, so Spanish, French, German, Russian and most other languages count properly. For Chinese and Japanese, which do not put spaces between words, your browser splits the text into words as best it can.