FREE TOOL · UM COUNTER
Filler word counter
Paste a transcript, or record yourself for up to a minute, and every “um”, “uh”, “so” and “you know” is counted and highlighted. You get fillers per 100 words, fillers per minute, and the ones you lean on most.
Paste a transcript above, or try the example, and every filler is counted and highlighted as you type.
What counts as a filler word
A filler is a word or sound that fills a gap while you think, without adding meaning. The counter sorts them into groups, because they have different causes and different fixes.
| Kind | Examples | How it's counted |
|---|---|---|
| Hesitation sounds | um, uh, er, erm, hmm | Always counted. They are the sound of thinking out loud. |
| Padding starters | “So,” “Well,” “Okay,” “Right,” at the start of a sentence | Counted only where they open a sentence. “It went well” is fine. |
| Restarts | I mean, or rather, hold on | Counted. They often mean the first version of a sentence didn't land. |
| Hedges | you know, I think, I guess, kind of, sort of | Counted as a habit, not a mistake. Sometimes “I think” is exactly what you mean. |
| Worth a second look | like, basically, actually, literally | Marked but not counted, because they are just as often real words. |
Pasted text is counted in your browser by the same filler detector SpeakConfident uses to analyse speech. Recordings are transcribed, then marked with the rules our coach applies to every practice take, so a recorded result matches the Voice Snapshot you can save afterwards.
Why fillers matter, and why zero isn't the goal
Everyone uses fillers, and a few are invisible to listeners. The trouble starts when they cluster: at the start of every answer, or around the point you most want people to remember. Then they pull attention from what you're saying and can make you sound less sure than you are.
Our coach aims for 2 or fewer a minute. That's our coach's working target, not a scientific line: low enough that fillers stop standing out. Chasing zero tends to make people stiff, so the aim is fewer, not none.
How to use fewer filler words
- Swap the filler for a silent pause. When you feel an “um” coming, close your mouth for a second instead. A one-second pause sounds deliberate; the same second filled with “um” sounds unsure.
- Know your first sentence. Fillers bunch up at the start of answers, while you decide what to say. Open with the point (“Two things.”) and they have nowhere to go.
- Watch the joins. “So” and “and, um” creep in between ideas. End the sentence, stop, and start the next one fresh.
- Count one filler at a time. The “Most used” list shows your favourite. Work on that one for a week before worrying about the rest.
Fillers spike under pressure: see speaking up in meetings and interview practice. Fillers also slow your pace; the speaking speed test shows by how much. For a day-by-day plan, read how to stop saying um. If your fillers come with long answers, how to stop rambling helps with both.
QUESTIONS
Questions people ask
What counts as a filler word?
Hesitation sounds (um, uh, er, hmm), sentence starters that pad rather than say something (“So,” “Well,” “Okay,” at the start of a sentence), restarts like “I mean”, and hedges like “you know”, “I think” and “kind of”. The breakdown shows each group separately, so you can decide which ones matter to you.
Why isn't every “like” counted?
Because “like” is often a real word (“I like it”, “looks like rain”). Words that are only sometimes fillers, such as “like”, “basically” and “actually”, are marked as worth a second look instead of being counted. You can judge them in context.
How many filler words is too many?
There is no single correct number, and nobody speaks with zero. Our coach aims for 2 or fewer a minute, low enough that they stop standing out. Hedges like “I think” are sometimes exactly the right words; count them as a habit check, not a mistake.
Can I paste a Zoom, Teams or YouTube transcript?
Yes. Timestamps are ignored, and line breaks are treated as the end of a sentence, so unpunctuated captions still work. Speaker names count as words, so delete them if you want an exact per-100-words figure.
What does the recording mode measure?
It transcribes up to a minute of you speaking and marks fillers with the same rules our coach uses on every practice take, so the result matches the Voice Snapshot you can save. You also see your fillers per minute and a marked transcript.
Is my transcript stored?
No. Pasted text is counted in your browser and never sent anywhere. Recordings are sent to Deepgram for transcription only when you press record.
Fewer fillers, one take at a time.
Record a short answer, see every filler marked, get one cue from your coach, and try take two.
Practise freeYour first Voice Snapshot is free. No account needed to try it.