Introducing: CrowdCounter
How many people are really in that photo?
"There were a million people!" Politicians can exaggerate. Organizers can inflate. Media guesses. I built a free tool that does some math for you. Check out CrowdCounter.
This tool was born at the VOGIN Congress on February 5, 2026, where I demonstrated how anyone can make a beginning with fact-checking crowd claims with nothing more than a photo and basic math. The audience loved it — so I turned it into a free tool for everyone.
Become member in February and you can win :
🎁 3x Perplexity Pro annual subscriptions , worth $240 each
🎁 1x You.com Team plan annual subscription, worth $300.00
To win? Just be a paid subscriber this month. That’s it. Already subscribed? You’re in. Not yet? Fix that before Feb 27th 2026. I’ll draw winners on Feb 28th 2026 .
How does it work?
CrowdCounter is based on the Jacobs Method — the same proven technique used by crowd scientists and researchers worldwide. The formula is beautifully simple:
Area × Density × Occupancy = People
Here’s all you do:
1️⃣ Select the area size
2️⃣ Upload your photo
3️⃣ Click the grid cells where people are standing
4️⃣ Choose how densely packed the crowd is
The tool does the rest — and gives you a minimum and maximum range, so you always know the margin of error.
No app to install. No sign-up. No cost.
Whether you’re a journalist covering a protest, a researcher studying public gatherings, or just someone who’s tired of unverified numbers flying around on social media — this one’s for you.
Try CrowdCounter now at digitaldigging.org
Couldn’t agree with you more . This tool is aimed at people who weren’t there btw. It’s based on the same methods authorities use. Well , some authorities
I’m a political reporter. Crowd counts at rallies/protests are often an important element of the story. My advice: There is no substitute for a reporter actually counting themselves. Doesn’t take long. Crowds at rallies are generally static. You could probably count 10,000 people in about 10 minutes by using grids etc. Most political rallies have a lot fewer than tha. So walk around the room/acility to get your count. The crowd won’t move, I promise you. Just you will. Report the number you came up with but you can also report the number organizers claim is there and, perhaps, numbers authorities like a police department report. And if you decide to use a software tool you’d be best report that you deferred this basic responsibility of a journalist — to count the crowd — to an algorithm.