How does the word count exclude Markdown syntax?

The tool strips all Markdown formatting — heading markers, bold/italic asterisks, code backticks, link syntax, image syntax, blockquote markers, and list markers — before counting. Only the readable prose words remain.

What counts as a word?

A word is any sequence of non-whitespace characters separated by spaces, tabs, or newlines. Numbers, hyphenated words, and contractions each count as one word.

How is reading time calculated?

Reading time is based on an average adult reading speed of 200 words per minute. The result is rounded up to the nearest minute, with a minimum of 1 minute.

Does the character count include spaces?

The tool shows both characters with spaces and characters without spaces (excluding whitespace). Both counts exclude Markdown syntax characters.

Are code blocks counted?

No. Code inside fenced code blocks is stripped before counting. Only prose text contributes to the word count.

How does this differ from a plain text word counter?

A plain text word counter would count asterisks, hash symbols, backticks, and bracket characters as part of the text. This tool strips them first, giving you the count of the actual readable content.

Does this work offline?

Yes. The counter runs entirely in your browser with no network requirement.

Can I see the stripped plain text?

Use the Markdown Stripper tool to get the full plain-text output of your document.

Markdown Word Count

Count words, characters, and estimated reading time for Markdown documents — Markdown syntax stripped before counting.

100% client-side · no upload

Markdown input

Words

Characters

Chars (no spaces)

Min read

Lines in source: 0

How to count words in Markdown

Paste or type your Markdown document into the text area.
Word count, character counts, and reading time update in real time.
All Markdown syntax is stripped before counting — asterisks, hashes, and link URLs are not counted.
Use the reading time estimate to gauge whether a blog post or article meets your target length.

Common use cases

Blog posts: Hit your target word count for SEO or editorial guidelines.
Documentation: Estimate how long a page takes to read before publishing.
Academic writing: Check word count for assignment limits.
Newsletter content: Keep email length appropriate for subscriber attention spans.

Related tools: Markdown Stripper · Markdown Preview · Headings Extractor

よくある質問

How does the word count exclude Markdown syntax?: The tool strips all Markdown formatting — heading markers, bold/italic asterisks, code backticks, link syntax, image syntax, blockquote markers, and list markers — before counting. Only the readable prose words remain.
What counts as a word?: A word is any sequence of non-whitespace characters separated by spaces, tabs, or newlines. Numbers, hyphenated words, and contractions each count as one word.
How is reading time calculated?: Reading time is based on an average adult reading speed of 200 words per minute. The result is rounded up to the nearest minute, with a minimum of 1 minute.
Does the character count include spaces?: The tool shows both characters with spaces and characters without spaces (excluding whitespace). Both counts exclude Markdown syntax characters.
Are code blocks counted?: No. Code inside fenced code blocks is stripped before counting. Only prose text contributes to the word count.
How does this differ from a plain text word counter?: A plain text word counter would count asterisks, hash symbols, backticks, and bracket characters as part of the text. This tool strips them first, giving you the count of the actual readable content.
Does this work offline?: Yes. The counter runs entirely in your browser with no network requirement.
Can I see the stripped plain text?: Use the Markdown Stripper tool to get the full plain-text output of your document.

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