Words Per Page Calculator
Turn a word count into pages, or a page count into words, for the font, size and line spacing you will actually use. Choose Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri or Verdana, set 10 to 14 point and single, 1.5 or double spacing, and read both the answer and the words-per-page figure it rests on. Free, no sign-up.
Conversion
Font
Font size
Line spacing
4.0
Estimated pages
250
Words per page at these settings
Quick reference at your settings
| Words | Estimated pages |
|---|---|
| 500 | 2.0 |
| 1,000 | 4.0 |
| 1,500 | 6.0 |
| 2,000 | 8.0 |
| 2,500 | 10.0 |
Estimates assume a standard 8.5 × 11 inch page with 1-inch margins and continuous body text. Headings, block quotes, images, and paragraph breaks will change the real page count.
How to Use the Words Per Page Calculator
- Choose the direction. Words to pages if you have a draft, pages to words if you have been given a page length.
- Enter the number. Type a word count or a number of pages. Half pages such as 2.5 are fine.
- Set the formatting. Pick your font, point size and line spacing. The tool starts at Times New Roman, 12 point, double-spaced, the default for most essays.
- Read the result. The estimate appears with the words-per-page figure it used, and a quick-reference table below it converts 500 to 2,500 words at your settings.
How the Estimate Is Calculated
The calculator starts from a base of 500 words on a single-spaced page of 12-point Times New Roman on US Letter paper (8.5 × 11 inches) with one-inch margins. It then scales that base by three multipliers:
- Font: Times New Roman × 1, Calibri × 1.02, Arial × 0.94, Verdana × 0.82. Wider letters fit fewer words on a line.
- Size: 10 pt × 1.32, 11 pt × 1.15, 12 pt × 1, 13 pt × 0.88, 14 pt × 0.78.
- Spacing: single × 1, 1.5 lines × 0.67, double × 0.5.
Words per page is the base times the three multipliers. Pages are the words divided by that figure, and words are the pages multiplied by it. For Times New Roman at 12 point and double spacing, that gives 500 × 1 × 1 × 0.5 = 250 words per page, the figure teachers usually mean.
Pages at Common Settings
| Words | Double, TNR 12 | 1.5 lines, TNR 12 | Single, TNR 12 | Double, Arial 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 2.1 |
| 1,000 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 4.3 |
| 1,500 | 6.0 | 4.5 | 3.0 | 6.4 |
| 2,000 | 8.0 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 8.5 |
| 2,500 | 10.0 | 7.5 | 5.0 | 10.6 |
Going the other way, five double-spaced pages of Times New Roman 12 hold about 1,250 words, and ten pages at 1.5 spacing hold about 3,333. Font choice matters less than spacing: switching Times New Roman to Verdana at the same size and spacing lowers the words per page from 250 to 205, so 1,000 words becomes 4.9 pages rather than 4.0.
Why Your Real Page Count Will Differ
This is a model, not a typesetter. Real documents move away from it because of things the formula cannot see:
- Paragraph breaks and headings. Every short last line and every heading uses space without adding many words, so a heavily sectioned paper runs longer than its word count suggests.
- Block quotes, tables and images. They are laid out differently from body text and can add or remove a half page.
- Title page and reference list. A word count usually covers only the body, while a page count may include both. A separate title page adds a page without adding words.
- Margins and paper size. The tool assumes one-inch margins on US Letter. A4 paper and wider margins change the result.
Check the number in your own document: most word processors display both words and pages. Use this tool to plan before you write and to choose a target word count for a page limit.
Check the required format
APA, MLA and Chicago all ask for double-spaced manuscripts with one-inch margins. APA 7 allows several fonts, including 12-point Times New Roman and 11-point Calibri or Arial, so set the same font here. If your instructor specifies a font and size, use those.
Which Tool Do You Need?
| If you want… | Use |
|---|---|
| The word count of your draft | Word Counter |
| Word counts for each section of an essay | Essay Word Count Planner |
| Reading or speaking time for a word count | Reading Time Calculator |
| A daily word target for a deadline | Words Per Day Calculator |
| Pages per day to finish a book | Reading Planner |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many pages is 1,000 words?
- Four pages double-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman, three at 1.5 spacing, and two single-spaced. With Arial 12 point double-spaced it is about 4.3 pages, and with Verdana about 4.9.
- How many words are on a double-spaced page?
- About 250 in 12-point Times New Roman with one-inch margins. The number falls with a wider font or larger size, and rises with a narrower font or smaller size.
- How many words is 5 pages?
- About 1,250 words double-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman, 1,667 at 1.5 spacing and 2,500 single-spaced. Switch the calculator to pages-to-words mode for other fonts and sizes.
- Does the word count include the reference list and title page?
- Your word count does not unless you paste them in. Pages in a finished document often include the title page and references, so a paper with a 1,250-word body may run to seven pages. Ask whether the page limit covers them.
- Which font and size should I use?
- The one your instructor, publisher or style guide requires. APA 7 accepts 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Calibri or Arial, and some other fonts; MLA asks for a legible font at a readable size. Set the same font here so the estimate matches.
- How accurate is the page estimate?
- It is a good planning figure, normally within a fraction of a page for continuous prose, but not a substitute for checking your document. Headings, quotations, images and paragraph breaks all change the real length.