Words per page guide
Words per page: how much fits depends on five things
In short
With a 12-point font, double spacing and one-inch margins, a page holds about 245 words, so 1,000 words fills about 4.1 pages (likely 3.5–4.7). Single-spaced, the same page holds about 491 words. Font, size, spacing, margins and paper size all change the answer, and the calculator lets you set each one, or paste your text for a closer estimate.
- Double-spaced page
- About 245 words
- Single-spaced page
- About 491 words
- 1,000 words, double-spaced
- 3.5–4.7 pages
- Paper sizes
- Letter, A4, A5, 6 × 9 book
How to convert words to pages (or pages to words)
Choose Words → pages to find out how long your text will be, or Pages → words to find out how much to write for a page target.
Enter a word count, or paste your actual text. Pasting is more accurate because the calculator measures your real word length and paragraph breaks.
Pick a layout. Academic draft (Letter, 12 pt Times New Roman, double-spaced) is the default. Office document, Submission manuscript and 6 × 9 book cover the other common cases, or change any setting yourself.
Read the estimate and its likely range. The Compare spacing tab shows the same text single-spaced, at 1.15, 1.5 and double, and Assumptions lists every setting used.
How many pages is 500, 1,000 or 2,000 words?
Worked out with the calculator's Academic draft layout (US Letter, 12 pt Times New Roman, one-inch margins) and a planning range of ±15%. Your own document will land somewhere in the range, depending on headings, paragraph length and how the program wraps lines.
| Words | Double-spaced | Likely range | Single-spaced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 | 1.0 | 0.9–1.2 | 0.5 |
| 500 | 2.0 | 1.7–2.3 | 1.0 |
| 750 | 3.1 | 2.6–3.5 | 1.5 |
| 1,000 | 4.1 | 3.5–4.7 | 2.0 |
| 1,500 | 6.1 | 5.2–7.0 | 3.1 |
| 2,000 | 8.1 | 6.9–9.4 | 4.1 |
| 2,500 | 10.2 | 8.7–11.7 | 5.1 |
| 3,000 | 12.2 | 10.4–14.1 | 6.1 |
| 5,000 | 20.4 | 17.3–23.4 | 10.2 |
Going the other way, 5 double-spaced pages hold about 1,230 words (1,040–1,410), and 10 pages about 2,450.
What changes how many words fit on a page
- Line spacing
The biggest factor. Double spacing roughly halves the words on a page compared with single spacing.
- Font and size
Wide fonts like Georgia and Arial fit fewer words per line than Times New Roman or Calibri at the same size, and Courier, where every letter is the same width, is wide too.
- Margins and paper
A4 is narrower and taller than US Letter, so lines are slightly shorter and there are a few more of them. Wider margins cut both.
- Headings, lists and tables
Every heading, short line and table leaves white space. Choose “Headings & lists” or “Tables & figures” under Content pattern to allow for it.
| Layout | Settings | Words per page |
|---|---|---|
| Academic draft | Letter, 12 pt Times, double spaced, 1-inch margins | 245 |
| Office document | Letter, 11 pt Calibri, 1.15 spacing, 1-inch margins | 424 |
| Submission manuscript | Letter, 12 pt Courier, double spaced, 1-inch margins | 199 |
| 6 × 9 book draft | 6 × 9 trim, 11 pt Georgia, 1.15 spacing, 0.75-inch margins | 243 |
Words per page for essays, APA and MLA papers, and books
MLA and APA both ask for double spacing and one-inch margins on US Letter paper. MLA suggests a readable font such as Times New Roman at 12 point. APA 7 allows several, including 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Calibri or Arial, and 11-point Georgia, so two APA papers with the same word count can come out a page apart.
For fiction and non-fiction submissions, The Chicago Manual of Style puts a double-spaced manuscript page at 250 to 300 words. A printed book page is a different thing: the trim size, font and leading are chosen by the designer, so use the 6 × 9 book preset as a starting point rather than a promise.
Why other calculators give a single number
Many words-to-pages converters divide by a fixed number, usually 250 or 500, and give you one answer. Real pages don't work that way: word length, paragraph breaks and how each program wraps lines all move the result. That's why this calculator shows a likely range (±15% from a word count, ±9% when you paste the text) and lists its assumptions in plain view.
Manual page breaks, images, footnotes and each word processor's own font metrics aren't modelled, so check the final layout in the program you'll submit from.
Common questions
How many pages is 1,000 words?
About 4.1 pages double-spaced or 2.0 pages single-spaced, with a 12-point font, one-inch margins and US Letter paper. Allow roughly half a page either way for headings and paragraph breaks.
How many words are on a double-spaced page?
About 245 with 12-point Times New Roman and one-inch margins. Wider fonts bring it closer to 225. For book manuscripts, The Chicago Manual of Style's guideline is 250 to 300 words per double-spaced page.
How many words are on a single-spaced page?
About 491 with 12-point Times New Roman and one-inch margins. A larger font or wider margins can bring it down to 400 or less.
How many pages is 500 words?
About 2.0 pages double-spaced or 1.0 single-spaced with standard essay settings.
How many words is 5 pages double spaced?
About 1,230 words double-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman, and roughly twice that single-spaced. Check whether your assignment sets a word limit as well; if it does, that's the one that counts.
Does font change the page count?
Yes. At the same size, Georgia, Arial and Courier are all wider than Times New Roman or Calibri, so the same text runs onto more pages.
Is A4 different from US Letter?
Slightly. A4 is 210 × 297 mm, about 6 mm narrower and 18 mm taller than Letter, so each line is a little shorter but there are more lines per page. The difference is usually a few words per page.
How many words are on a book page?
Usually 250 to 350, but it depends entirely on the trim size and typesetting. The 6 × 9 book preset gives a starting estimate for a typical trade paperback.
Can I convert pages to words?
Yes. Switch to Pages → words, enter the number of pages you need, and the calculator shows how many words that is for your layout, with a likely range.
Why is the result a range and not one number?
Because no estimate can know exactly how a program will wrap your lines. The range shows where the real page count is most likely to fall; pasting your text narrows it.
Sources
- Counting pages or words in a manuscript submissionCMOS Shop Talk (The Chicago Manual of Style)
- APA general formatPurdue Online Writing Lab
- MLA general formatPurdue Online Writing Lab
- ISO 216 paper sizesWikipedia