Cookie Policy
Introduction
This Cookie Policy explains how TextCountify uses cookies and similar technologies when you visit textcountify.com. It explains what cookies are, which specific cookies we set, why we set them, how long they stay on your device, and how you can control or delete them.
This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which covers the broader topic of what data we do and do not collect about you. Cookies are one specific subset of the data picture described there.
TextCountify is a free character counter tool. You do not need to create an account to use it. We do not ask for your name, email, or any other personal information. The only cookies that load on this site are set by Google Analytics 4, which we use to understand aggregate traffic patterns such as how many people visit the site, which pages are most viewed, and how long visitors stay.
What Are Cookies?
A cookie is a small text file that a website asks your browser to store on your device. The file contains a string of characters that uniquely identifies your browser session. When you load another page on the same site, your browser sends the cookie back to the server, allowing the site to remember things about your visit — for example, that you've been here before, or what preferences you set on a previous visit.
Cookies are not programs. They cannot execute code on your device, cannot read other files on your device, and cannot access information that the website did not itself place there. They are simply text strings your browser stores and returns.
Cookies fall into two broad categories. First-party cookies are set by the website you are visiting — in this case, textcountify.com. Third-party cookies are set by a different domain, typically because the website has embedded a third-party service such as an analytics provider, an advertising network, or a social media widget. Google Analytics sets third-party cookies (or, in newer configurations, first-party cookies via server-side tagging — but the practical effect is the same).
Types of Cookies We Use
TextCountify uses only one functional category of cookie:
- Analytics cookies — set by Google Analytics 4. These cookies measure aggregate traffic patterns: how many visitors the site receives, which pages they view, how long they stay, and the country-level geography of visitors. We use this data to understand which content is useful and to improve the tool over time.
We do not use any of the following, even though many other websites do:
- Advertising cookies (Google AdSense, Facebook Pixel, or any ad network)
- Social media pixels (LinkedIn Insight Tag, X / Twitter pixel, TikTok pixel)
- Session replay or heatmapping tools (Hotjar, FullStory, Microsoft Clarity, LogRocket)
- Marketing email tracking pixels (Mailchimp, ConvertKit, Sendinblue open-tracking pixels)
- Chat widget cookies (Intercom, Drift, Tawk.to, Crisp)
- A/B testing or personalization cookies (Optimizely, VWO)
If we add any of these in the future, this policy will be updated with the specific cookie names, providers, and durations before the new service becomes active. We will post a prominent notice on the homepage for at least 30 days before any advertising network or social media pixel is added.
Detailed Cookie Table
The table below lists every cookie that may be set when you visit TextCountify. The exact cookie names depend on the current Google Analytics 4 configuration; the values shown here are the standard GA4 cookies as of the date this policy was last updated.
None of these cookies store your name, email address, the text you type into the character counter tool, or any personally identifying information. The character counter tool runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript — your text never leaves your device. The cookies above only track that someone using a particular browser visited the site, viewed particular pages, and stayed for a particular duration.
Google Analytics 4 — What It Does and Does Not See
Google Analytics 4 receives aggregate, anonymized data about your visit. Specifically, GA4 can see:
- The pages you viewed on textcountify.com and the order in which you viewed them
- The approximate duration of your visit
- The country-level geography of your IP address (not the city, not the precise location)
- The referring website or search engine that brought you here (e.g. "google.com", "twitter.com", "direct")
- The browser and operating system you used (e.g. "Chrome on Windows", "Safari on iPhone")
- Whether you are a new or returning visitor (based on the
_gacookie)
GA4 cannot see:
- The text you typed or pasted into the character counter tool — that data stays in your browser
- Your name, email, or any account information — we have no accounts and never ask
- Your precise location — only country-level geography is visible
- Your identity across different browsers or devices — GA4 uses a per-browser identifier, not a person identifier
- What you did on other websites after leaving textcountify.com
First-Party vs Third-Party Cookies — Why It Matters
All cookies currently set on textcountify.com are technically third-party cookies, because they are set by Google's analytics domain (google-analytics.com or a Google-operated equivalent) rather than by textcountify.com itself. The practical effect is that the cookie data is processed by Google, not by TextCountify. We see only the aggregated, anonymized reports in our own Google Analytics dashboard — we do not have access to the raw cookie data or to information about individual visitors.
This distinction matters for two reasons:
- For privacy regulation (GDPR, CCPA, ePrivacy Directive): third-party analytics cookies generally require user consent in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, and California. TextCountify does not currently display a cookie consent banner. See the section below on consent for details.
- For browser behavior: some browsers, including Safari (Intelligent Tracking Prevention) and Firefox (Total Cookie Protection), block or limit third-party cookies by default. If you use one of these browsers, some or all of the GA4 cookies listed above may not be set at all. This does not affect the functionality of the character counter tool — only the accuracy of our traffic analytics.
How to Manage and Delete Cookies
You have full control over cookies through your browser settings. You can block all cookies, block only third-party cookies, delete existing cookies, or set your browser to ask you each time a site tries to set a cookie. The exact steps differ by browser:
For a more comprehensive, regularly-updated guide to managing cookies in every major browser, visit aboutcookies.org or allaboutcookies.org. Both are independent resources not affiliated with TextCountify.
Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On
If you want to opt out of Google Analytics tracking across all websites that use GA — not just TextCountify — Google provides a free official browser add-on that tells GA not to process your data. The add-on is available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Opera at:
https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
Installing this add-on does not affect the functionality of TextCountify — the character counter tool works exactly the same way. It only prevents Google Analytics from recording your visit. The add-on communicates directly with Google; TextCountify has no access to whether you have installed it.
Session vs Persistent Cookies
Cookies fall into two duration categories:
- Session cookies are deleted from your browser as soon as you close the browser window. The
_gatcookie (1-minute duration) behaves like a session cookie in practice, even though its technical duration is short rather than session-scoped. - Persistent cookies remain on your device until they expire (or until you delete them manually). The
_gaand_ga_<container-id>cookies are persistent — they last 2 years from the date of your last visit, refreshing each time you return to the site.
If you do not visit textcountify.com for 2 years, all GA4 cookies will have expired and been automatically deleted by your browser. If you want them gone sooner, you can delete them manually using your browser's cookie management interface (see the browser-specific instructions above).
Do We Use Local Storage?
Yes — separately from cookies, TextCountify uses your browser's localStorage to store the Recent Texts feature: the last five text sessions you entered into the character counter tool. This data lives on your device only. It is never transmitted to TextCountify servers, never read by Google Analytics, and never leaves the browser you are currently using.
localStorage is technically not a cookie — it is a separate browser storage mechanism — but it is mentioned here because some users consider it part of the same privacy concern. You can clear it at any time by clicking the "Clear all" button directly below the Recent Texts list, or by clearing your browser's site data.
The localStorage key we use is textcountify_history. Clearing it removes the history immediately and permanently.
In addition to the Recent Texts history, we also use a second localStorage key: textcountify_cookies. This key stores the value accepted after you click "Got it" on the cookie notice banner. It exists only to remember that you have dismissed the banner so we do not show it to you again. Clearing it (or clearing all site data) will cause the banner to reappear on your next visit.
Do We Use a Cookie Consent Banner?
Yes. TextCountify now displays a cookie notice banner at the bottom of the screen on your first visit. The banner explains that we use cookies (Google Analytics 4) for traffic measurement, links to this Cookie Policy for full details, and provides a "Got it" button to dismiss the notice. Once you click "Got it", the banner does not appear again on subsequent visits — your choice is remembered in your browser's localStorage under the key textcountify_cookies.
The current banner is a notice-and-dismiss banner, not a full consent management platform. Specifically:
- It does inform you that cookies are in use and link to this policy
- It does remember your dismissal across visits (until you clear localStorage)
- It does not currently block Google Analytics from loading before you click "Got it" — GA4 loads on page load as before, because the character counter tool's functionality does not depend on GA and we have not yet wired the banner to gate the GA script tag
- It does not currently offer a "Reject" option — only "Got it" (accept and dismiss)
We are working on upgrading this to a full consent management platform that will:
- Offer explicit "Accept" and "Reject" buttons
- Not load Google Analytics until you have explicitly accepted
- Remember your choice for 12 months
- Allow you to change your mind later via a link in the footer
Until that full CMP is in place, if you are in a jurisdiction that requires consent for analytics cookies (EEA, UK, California under CCPA) and you do not wish to consent, you have three options:
- Use the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on — prevents GA from recording your visit across all websites that use it
- Block third-party cookies in your browser (see the per-browser instructions above)
- Simply do not visit the site — we respect that choice and there is no penalty for it
Changes to This Cookie Policy
If we add, remove, or change any cookie — for example, if we add Google AdSense once the site is approved, or if we replace Google Analytics 4 with a different analytics provider, or if we add a cookie consent banner — we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and revise the affected sections.
For material changes — such as adding an advertising network or a new third-party service — we will post a prominent notice on the homepage for at least 30 days before the change takes effect, in addition to updating this page. We will not retroactively apply any new cookie practices to past visits.
Contact
Questions about this Cookie Policy can be sent to contact@textcountify.com. We read every message and typically respond within 1 to 2 business days. You can also use the contact page for a structured form of the same address.