Cost Per Word Calculator

What this tool does

The Cost Per Word Calculator works in two directions. Enter a total article cost and word count to find the effective per-word rate — or enter a per-word rate and word count to find the total price.

Per-word rates are the default unit of freelance writing, but clients think in total price. This tool bridges the two, so you can quote a total that matches your rate, or reverse-engineer what a client's budget actually pays per word.

It is deliberately simple: two inputs and an answer. No sign-up, no storage, and the math is shown in the explanation below.

How to use it

1. Choose a mode: calculate from total cost, or from per-word rate.
2. Enter the two known values.
3. Read the missing value — per-word rate or total cost.

How it works

• From total: per-word rate = total cost ÷ word count.
• From rate: total cost = per-word rate × word count.
• Word count must be greater than zero; otherwise the tool shows a validation message.

Example

A $400 article at 2,000 words is $0.20/word. At $0.15/word, a 2,000-word article costs $300.

Common questions