LLM Token Counter
Estimate token counts for GPT-3.5, GPT-4, Claude, and Llama in real time
Last updated: September 16, 2026 · By Asad Faizee
Estimated Tokens
Characters
Words
Paste Your Prompt or Text
Language Model Settings
Estimation Disclaimer
This tool calculates an estimate based on character count ratios. Exact tokenization (like BPE used by OpenAI) depends on the specific API. Always refer to your provider's dashboard for billing.
Try with Sample Texts:
How to Use This LLM Token Calculator
Paste your text. Pick your model. Watch the numbers move. That's it.
If you're counting tokens for GPT-4, leave the ratio at 0.25. For Claude, it's closer to 0.28. For Llama, 0.24. You can override the ratio if you want. The tool updates as you type.
No signup. No upload. Your prompt stays in your browser. That matters if you're working with client data, internal docs, or anything under NDA.
Token to Word Calculator: Quick Conversion
People ask "how many words is 1,000 tokens?" There's no exact answer because tokenizers are weird. But for plain English, 1 token ≈ 0.75 words. So 1,000 tokens ≈ 750 words. 500 tokens ≈ 375 words. 2,000 tokens ≈ 1,500 words.
Code and JSON throw this off. A single brace or semicolon can be its own token.
| Tokens | Approx words | Approx characters |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 75 | 400 |
| 500 | 375 | 2,000 |
| 1,000 | 750 | 4,000 |
| 2,000 | 1,500 | 8,000 |
| 4,000 | 3,000 | 16,000 |
| 8,000 | 6,000 | 32,000 |
Character to Token Calculator: How Many Characters per Token?
For English text, 1 token ≈ 4 characters. So 1,000 characters ≈ 250 tokens. 5,000 characters ≈ 1,250 tokens.
But if you paste code, URLs, or emojis, expect more tokens per character. A 100-character URL can be 50+ tokens.
| Characters | Approx tokens (English) |
|---|---|
| 100 | 25 |
| 500 | 125 |
| 1,000 | 250 |
| 2,500 | 625 |
| 5,000 | 1,250 |
| 10,000 | 2,500 |
GPT Token Counter: Estimate Tokens for GPT-3.5 and GPT-4
GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 use OpenAI's tiktoken tokenizer. For normal English, it's about 4 characters per token. This tool uses a 0.25 ratio. If you're counting tokens for GPT-4o, same ballpark.
Use this as a quick estimate before you send a huge prompt. It won't match the API to the exact token, but it's close enough to catch surprises. If you're building a chatbot, a RAG pipeline, or a batch job, knowing your token count early saves money.
Claude Token Counter: Tokens for Anthropic Models
Claude 3 from Anthropic uses a different tokenizer. It tends to split text a bit more, so we use a 0.28 ratio. That means 1 token ≈ 3.6 characters.
If you're building with Claude, paste your prompt, switch the model to Claude 3, and you'll get a slightly higher count than GPT. That's expected. Always check Anthropic's docs for the exact tokenizer if you need billing-level accuracy.
Llama Token Counter: Meta's Models
Llama 2 and Llama 3 from Meta use their own tokenizer. We use a 0.24 ratio, so 1 token ≈ 4.2 characters. Llama is a bit more efficient on English than GPT in some cases.
Again, estimate only. If you're running Llama locally or through an API, use the count to plan your context window and avoid truncation.
Online Token Counter: No Signup, No Upload
This tool runs in your browser. No signup. No upload. Your prompt never leaves your machine. That matters if you're working with client data, internal docs, or anything under NDA.
Open the page, paste, count. Done. Works on desktop and mobile. No install, no account, no paywall.
AI Token Calculator: Estimate API Costs
Tokens cost money. GPT-4 is priced per 1,000 tokens. If your prompt is 2,000 tokens and you run it 1,000 times, that's 2 million tokens. At $0.03 per 1k input tokens, that's $60.
This calculator doesn't do pricing math, but the token count is the first step. Know your tokens before you burn budget. Multiply your token count by your provider's per-1k rate for a rough cost estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an LLM token?
A token is the basic unit of text an LLM processes. It can be a character, part of a word, or a whole word. In English, 1 token is roughly 4 characters or 0.75 words.
How many tokens is 1,000 words?
About 1,333 tokens. The common rule is 1 word = 1.33 tokens, or 1 token = 0.75 words. Code and punctuation push this higher.
How many words is 1,000 tokens?
Roughly 750 words for plain English. That number drops if you're counting code, URLs, or JSON.
How do I count tokens for GPT-4?
Use this tool, select GPT-4, and paste your text. It estimates tokens at 0.25 tokens per character, which is close to OpenAI's tiktoken tokenizer for normal English.
How do I count tokens for Claude?
Pick Claude 3 in the model dropdown. Claude tends to split text a bit more, so the tool uses a 0.28 ratio. That gives you a slightly higher count than GPT.
How do I count tokens for Llama?
Select Llama 2 or Llama 3. The tool uses a 0.24 ratio. Llama is a little more efficient on English than GPT in some cases.
Is this LLM token counter free?
Yes. No signup, no watermark, no limit. It's a static page with vanilla JavaScript, so there's no server cost to pass on to you.
Does this tool upload my text?
No. Everything runs in your browser. Your prompt never leaves your machine. Open DevTools and watch the Network tab if you want proof.
Why does the token count differ from OpenAI's tokenizer?
This tool uses a character-to-token ratio, not the exact BPE tokenizer. It's an estimate. For billing, always check your provider's dashboard.
What is the difference between tokens and characters?
A character is a single letter, number, or symbol. A token is what the model actually reads. In English, 1 token is about 4 characters. In code, it can be 1-2 characters per token.
Can I use this token counter for code?
Yes, but expect more tokens per character. Braces, semicolons, and indentation all cost tokens. The estimate will be higher than plain English.
What is the max context window for GPT-4?
GPT-4 has variants with 8K, 32K, and 128K token context windows. GPT-4o supports up to 128K. Always check the current model docs before building.