Word counter main window with file list, Count button, and empty results table ready for a batch.
WordCounter main window: pick files or a folder, then run Count for a local word counter batch. Screenshot by the editorial team, September 2026 (WordCounter MIT source on michaelbeijer/WordCounter).

No AppImage, .deb, Flatpak, or snap package for WordCounter was found on the current tag. Do not invent package names. Use the Python source path from the upstream README when you need this word counter on Linux.

Steps

  1. Open the repository README.
  2. Install Python 3.10+ and tk support for your distribution.
  3. Install document libraries listed in the README.
  4. Launch WordCounter.py on a desktop session.
  5. Prove Count on a small .docx set.

Research labels this run UNVERIFIED on real hardware. Agencies that must match the Windows zip should keep a Windows build for production quotes.

Package manager gaps

Snap, Flatpak, and distro packages were not published for this product during research. Prefer documenting the gap over inventing ids that fail in verify-packages.

Common mistakes

Searching only for “word counter” and installing an unrelated APT package. Skipping tkinter dependencies. Running headless without a display when the UI requires one.

Desk discipline

Write the GitHub Releases URL beside the OS version whenever you install or update this word counter. Shared agencies lose hours when someone grabs a portal mirror during a blocked first launch. One written door prevents that drift.

Keep a small sample folder of non-confidential documents for smoke tests. After every bump, run Count on those files before you touch live deliveries. Compare CSV exports across versions when repetition columns matter to a buyer.

Limits to remember

WordCounter does not replace a full CAT analysis suite. It does not invent client rates. Offline counting still needs network for the first zip download. macOS and Linux remain source-only on the current tag unless upstream publishes new assets.

Return to the home hub when you need the install panel. Browse other topics on guides. Keep download safe bookmarked for teammates who only remember the search phrase word counter.

Practical notes for source installs

Use a dedicated virtual environment so translation desks do not collide with other Python tools. Pin dependency versions when your security team requires reproducible builds. Record the commit hash you checked out beside the machine ticket.

If the GUI fails to start, confirm tk bindings for your Python build. Headless servers are the wrong target for this word counter UI. Prefer a desktop session or a Windows zip in a VM when you need production quotes that match agency laptops.

Agency rollout notes

When more than one freelancer uses this word counter, publish a one-page internal note with the Releases URL, the zip pattern, the sample folder path, and the person who owns updates. Without that note, search ads win during deadline week.

Train people to refuse chat attachments that claim to be the same build. Official files come from GitHub Releases for michaelbeijer/WordCounter. If SmartScreen blocks a launch, return to that URL rather than downloading a second copy from a review portal.

Quote and audit habits

Store CSV exports beside the documents that produced them. Name folders by client and month when that matches your SOP. If a reviewer questions a total, open the export and the original files together instead of arguing from memory.

Side-by-side checks against AnyCount remain useful during the first month. Keep both tools until the new word counter exports satisfy the same people who approve invoices. Comparison pages on this site exist to support that decision, not to force a sudden cutover.

Source desks and virtual machines

macOS and Linux operators who must match agency Windows totals should prefer a Windows VM with the official zip when policy allows. Source installs are honest for inspection and development, yet they are easier to drift when Python environments differ.

Record UNVERIFIED labels whenever you have not personally completed a path on real hardware. Invented brew or winget commands fail later and erode trust in the rest of the guide.

Closing reminder

The search phrase word counter describes the job. The install door is the named Releases asset. Keep those ideas separate and the desk stays calm.

Frequently asked questions

Is this word counter software free?

Yes. WordCounter is free under the MIT licence, and GitHub Releases assets have no paywall for the client itself. Commercial counters such as AnyCount stay separate if you keep those apps as a fallback. Tally Quill does not sell seats for those products.

Where should I download a word counter?

Prefer GitHub Releases for michaelbeijer/WordCounter when you need a named Windows zip. Take WordCounter-*-win64.zip, extract it, and run WordCounter.exe. Skip adware download portal mirrors that only rank for word counter and rename the archive.

Does this word counter need an account?

No. WordCounter counts locally without a signup or cloud login. You only need network for the first download and for later Releases updates or optional source dependency installs on macOS and Linux.

Is there a winget id for this word counter?

No winget package id was found for WordCounter on this review date. Prefer WordCounter-*-win64.zip from GitHub Releases and write that filename on the machine ticket so the next bump stays honest for shared desks.