Scott Grant

Author Wordcount is a simple tool that allows you to enter the title of 
a work-in-progress (I’m looking at you, NaNoWriMo draft), a current word 
count, and a goal word count. These counters can be updated when you have 
new words available, and can be deleted when you’re finished. You can have 
any number of works in progress at a time, since if you’re like me, you’ve 
probably got a huge collection of drafts just waiting to be finished.
The style is based on an old component that used to sit on the sidebar of 
<a href="http://hughhowey.com" rel="nofollow ugc">Hugh Howey’s website</a>. Thanks, Hugh!

Author Wordcount

Allows authors to show word counts for works in progress.

Jon Bishop

Post Admin Word Count adds a sortable “Words” column to the WordPress admin for all public post types. This lightweight plugin automatically calculates and stores word counts when posts are saved or viewed in the admin, ensuring performance and accuracy without scanning your entire site. It supports custom post types, integrates cleanly with the WordPress admin UI and adheres to modern coding standards. Ideal for publishers, bloggers and content editors who want quick insight into post length directly from the dashboard.

Post Admin Word Count

Adds a sortable word count column to the admin post list for all public post types. Efficient, lightweight and built with modern best practices.

Author Wordcount vs Post Admin Word Count