Free X tool
X (Twitter) Post Checker and Character Counter
X counts 280 characters for everyone, charges a flat 23 for any link however long it is, and lifts Premium accounts to 25,000.
Last updated: 2026-07-31
X gives every account 280 characters. Links are the part that catches people out: whatever URL you paste gets rewritten through t.co and charged at a flat 23 characters, so a 12 character link and a 200 character tracking link cost you exactly the same.
X Premium raises the ceiling to 25,000 characters, but it does not change what the timeline shows. Anything past 280 collapses behind a "Show more" toggle, which means the first 280 are still the part that has to earn the tap.
This counter applies the 23 character link weight automatically. Read the result as very close rather than exact: media attachments cost nothing, the leading @ mentions in a reply are free, and X adjusts the edges of its counting from time to time.
0 characters0 words0 hashtags0 mentions
X (Twitter)
Fits0/ 280280 left
- Hashtags
- 0 used
- Recommended: 1 to 2
- Mentions
- 0 used
- No published cap
- Fold
- ~280 chars
- Everything after this needs a tap to read
Link weighted and approximate: every URL is charged at 23 characters, and media attachments are free.
Every link counts as 23 characters no matter its length
Preview on X (Twitter)
Grey text sits below the fold, red text is past the limit.Start typing above and your caption appears here with the fold and any overflow marked.
The same caption everywhere else
Select a network to preview the fold and overflow for it above.
How X (Twitter) compares to the other networks
The hard ceiling is rarely the number that matters. Here is where X (Twitter) sits against every other network Postify publishes to, including the point each one folds your caption behind a "more" control.
| Network | Caption limit | Title limit | Hashtags | Mentions | Folds at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,200 | Not published | 30 maxUse 3 to 5 | 20 max | ~125 chars | |
| 63,206 | Not published | No fixed capUse 0 to 2 | No fixed cap | ~477 chars | |
| Threads | 500 | Not published | 1 maxUse 1 topic tag | No fixed cap | Not published |
| 3,000 | Not published | No fixed capUse 3 to 5 | No fixed cap | ~210 chars | |
| X (Twitter)This page | 28025,000 with Premium | Not published | No fixed capUse 1 to 2 | No fixed cap | ~280 chars |
| TikTok | 4,000 | 90 | No fixed capUse 3 to 5 | No fixed cap | ~100 chars |
| YouTube | 5,000 | 100 | 15 maxUse 3 (only the first 3 show above the title) | No fixed cap | ~157 chars |
| 500 | 100 | 20 maxUse 0 to 5 | No fixed cap | ~50 chars |
Limits verified 2026-07-31. Networks change these without much warning, so treat the fold numbers as close rather than exact.
X (Twitter) caption tips
- One link costs 23 characters. Two links cost 46, so a post with a source and a call to action loses a sixth of its budget before you type a word.
- Leading @ mentions in a reply are free, but a handle in the middle of the text is not. Move mentions to the front when you are tight.
- Media attachments do not spend characters at all. A screenshot is often the cheapest way to add the detail that will not fit.
- If you have Premium and go long, still write the first 280 as a post that stands alone. That is everything the timeline shows before "Show more".
- A chain of short posts still outperforms one long post for most accounts, Premium or not.
Frequently asked questions
How many characters is a post on X?
Two hundred and eighty characters on a standard account, which has been the limit since 2017. X Premium subscribers can publish up to 25,000 characters in a single post.
How does X count links?
Every URL is wrapped in a t.co link and charged at 23 characters regardless of its real length. Shortening a URL before you paste it saves you nothing on X, though it still helps everywhere else.
Do images, videos and quoted posts use characters?
No. Attached photos, videos and GIFs cost nothing against the 280, and the link X adds when you quote another post is not charged either. Only text you type counts.
How many characters does X Premium allow?
Twenty-five thousand. The extra room is real, but posts over 280 characters are collapsed behind a "Show more" control in the timeline, so long posts only work when the visible opening carries its own weight.
Do hashtags and mentions count toward the 280 limit?
Yes, with one exception: when you reply to someone, the @ handles at the very start of the reply are not counted. Hashtags always count, as does any mention placed inside the body of the post.
What happens if my post goes over 280 characters?
X blocks it. The post button stays disabled and the overflowing characters are highlighted in the composer, so nothing gets silently truncated. Split the idea into a chain or trim it before publishing.
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