Word count to pages calculator
This word count to pages calculator turns pasted text into words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, printed book pages, double spaced manuscript pages and reading time. As a rule of thumb, 250 words make one manuscript page and about 300 words make one printed page in a 5.5 x 8.5 trade paperback. So an 80,000 word book comes to 320 manuscript pages and about 267 printed ones. Everything is counted in your browser, so nothing you paste is uploaded.
How to use the word count to pages calculator
The counts update as you type.
Words is the headline number.
The printed pages figure changes at once.
If you only know a number and have no text to paste, the Page Count Estimator starts from a word count you type in.
How the word count to pages calculator works
The tool counts runs of letters, digits, accented letters, apostrophes and hyphens. "Well-known" and "don't" are one word each, while 1,200 counts as two because the comma breaks it. Expect a small gap against Word or Google Docs on text full of figures or symbols.
- Printed pages: words divided by the words per page you chose, rounded up.
- Manuscript pages: words divided by 250, rounded up.
- Reading time: words divided by 238 a minute, the non-fiction average in a 2019 meta-analysis of silent reading speed.
- Read aloud: words divided by 155 a minute, the pace ACX uses to estimate narration.
- Characters include spaces. The "no spaces" figure strips all whitespace.
- Sentences end at a period, question mark, exclamation point or ellipsis, but not after abbreviations like Mr. Paragraphs split on blank lines.
Printed pages here are body text only. A real book adds a title page, copyright page, dedication, chapter openers and sometimes blank pages, and printers set limits by trim size, as KDP's trim size, bleed and margin specifications show. For a print quote or a spine width, use the Page Count Estimator, which takes trim size, type size and leading and allows for front and back matter.
Worked examples
Every figure below was run through the tool's own formulas.
| Example | Words | Per page | Printed | Manuscript |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A, novel | 80,000 | 300 | 267 | 320 |
| B, novel at 6 x 9 | 80,000 | 350 | 229 | 320 |
| C, memoir | 52,000 | 300 | 174 | 208 |
Example A
80,000 divided by 300 is 266.7, so the tool shows 267. Silent reading is 5 hr 36 min and reading aloud 8 hr 36 min. The length sits inside the usual 70,000 to 110,000 range for a novel.
Example B
Same words, bigger page: 38 fewer printed pages. Trim size changes the page count and never the word count.
Example C
Reading time is 3 hr 38 min. The tool's band for a memoir is 60,000 to 90,000 words, so 52,000 reads as short. That isn't fatal, but a reader may ask for more story.
Quick conversions at 300 words a page
1,000 words is 4 manuscript pages and 4 printed pages (3.3 rounded up). 50,000 words is 200 manuscript pages and 167 printed. 100,000 words is 400 manuscript pages and 334 printed.
What the numbers mean and how to use them
Manuscript pages are for submissions and for editors sizing up a job. Printed pages are for print cost, spine width and how the book feels in the hand. Reading time helps with pacing and blurbs, and read-aloud time gives a first guess at audiobook length.
Word count also drives editing cost, because editors quote by the word. Our published prices let you do that math yourself.
The category verdict is a signal, not a rule. A long book costs more to print and a short one invites questions, but neither is a reason to cut or pad before you've asked what the story needs.
A long book costs more to print and a short one invites questions, but neither is a reason to cut or pad before you've asked what the story needs.
Common mistakes with word and page counts
One setting, one answer
Word processor pages change with font, margins and spacing.
The wrong kind of page
Giving a printer manuscript pages, or an agent printed ones, throws the estimate off.
Forgetting the extras
Front and back matter add pages to a real print run.
A dirty draft
Notes, headings and placeholder text all get counted. Paste a clean copy.
A school rule on a book
The single spaced rule from school work doesn't fit a book.
A hard cut off
Plenty of good books sit just outside a category range.
Tips by situation
Self-publishing a print edition
Choose the trim size first, then the words per page, and re-run the tool whenever layout changes the page count. The final number comes out of layout, and paper and trim choices move it, as KDP print options explain.
Pitching an agent or traditional publisher
Fiction is quoted in words, rounded to the nearest thousand. Non-fiction proposals often give manuscript pages as well. Give the number each submission guideline asks for.
Fiction versus non-fiction
Fiction ranges are tighter, with a novel at 70,000 to 110,000 words. Non-fiction depends on the subject. Children's books are measured in words per page, since few run to hundreds of pages.
Related guides on the Author Resources hub
How to Write a Book
How to Write a Book covers length and pacing before you count.
The Book Writing Checklist
The Book Writing Checklist has a length check at the finish line.
Types of book editing
The types of book editing explained, because word count sets the scope.
When a count becomes a plan
Once you know your length, the next questions are what editing the book needs and what it costs. We publish our rates in full, and we read a sample before quoting. Send one and we'll say which stage your manuscript needs.
Ready? Submit your manuscript.
Questions we get asked
How do I convert word count to book pages?
Divide your words by the words per page and round up. Use about 250 for a double spaced manuscript page, 300 for a 5.5 x 8.5 paperback and 350 for a 6 x 9. This word count to pages calculator does it as you type. The finished book runs longer once layout adds front matter.
How many words make a 400 page book?
About 120,000 at 300 words a page, 100,000 at 250 and 140,000 at 350. Real books vary with type size and white space, so treat it as a range.
How much word count is 6 pages?
At 250 words a manuscript page, 1,500 words. At 300 words a printed page, 1,800. Single spaced school documents hold roughly double per page, so the answer depends on font and spacing.
How many words is 4 pages?
About 1,000 words as double spaced manuscript pages (4 x 250). Change the font, margins or spacing and the figure moves.
Can I write 6 pages in a day?
Six manuscript pages is 1,500 words, and many writers can manage that on a good day. It's a strong day rather than a plan. The Publishing Timeline planner starts from 800 words a day, which holds up better over months.
Is there a word counter app available?
You don't need one here. This is a browser tool with no app, sign-in or upload. Word processors show a live count too, though they treat hyphens, dashes and numbers a little differently.
Does the word count include headings and chapter titles?
Yes, everything you paste is counted. Remove notes and headings you wouldn't want counted before you paste, because editors usually quote on the clean text.
How is reading time worked out?
Words divided by 238 a minute for silent reading, and by 155 for reading aloud. Both are averages and individual readers vary a lot. Audiobook length depends on the narrator and the pace.
Keep going with the next tool
Next, try the Page Count Estimator for trim size, Chapter Balance to chart every chapter, or the Publishing Timeline planner. The rest are in All author tools.
Tools will only take you so far
Send what you have. Even a half-written manuscript is enough for a reader to tell you what it needs.