Word Count and Readability Analyzer
Instant word count, character count, reading time, and three readability scores -- Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, and ARI. All analysis happens in your browser.
Quick Answer
What readability score should I aim for?
For general web content, aim for a Flesch Reading Ease score of 60-70 (Standard) and a Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level of 8-10. Blog posts and marketing copy work best at Grade 6-8 (score 70+). Academic or technical writing can go lower. If your score is below 30 or above Grade 12, consider simplifying your sentence structure and word choice.
Word Count and Readability Analyzer
All analysis happens in your browser -- your text is never sent anywhere
No limit -- all processing in browser
Start typing to see stats
Counts
Words
0
Characters (with spaces)
0
Characters (no spaces)
0
Sentences
0
Paragraphs
0
Lines
0
Reading Time
Reading time
--
@ 238 wpm
Speaking time
--
@ 130 wpm
Readability
Flesch Reading Ease
--
0 (hardest) to 100 (easiest)
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level
--
US school grade equivalent
Automated Readability Index
--
Based on characters per word
About this tool
This analyzer gives you instant feedback on your writing as you type. It counts words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, and lines, estimates how long your text takes to read aloud or silently, and calculates three standard readability scores: Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, and Automated Readability Index (ARI). After 50 words, a top word frequency chart highlights your most-used content words. Everything runs in your browser -- no text is ever uploaded or stored.
The tool is useful for bloggers and content writers checking article length and readability, SEO professionals optimizing content for their target audience, academics and students meeting word count requirements, technical writers calibrating documentation complexity, and marketers testing copy clarity before publishing.
How it works
- 1
Paste or type your text
Drop your article, blog post, email, or any text into the input area. You can paste from any source -- Google Docs, Word, a CMS, or plain text.
- 2
Stats update live
Every keystroke recalculates all counts and scores in real time. No button to press -- just start typing or pasting.
- 3
Read your scores
Color-coded badges show at a glance whether each score is in the easy (green), moderate (amber), or advanced (red) range for your target audience.
- 4
Check top word frequency
Once you have 50 or more words, the top words chart appears. Use it to spot vocabulary you are overusing and diversify your word choice.
Readability score guide
| Flesch Score | Label | Typical use case | Grade equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90-100 | Very Easy | Children's books, simple instructions | Grade 5 and below |
| 70-89 | Easy | Blog posts, marketing copy | Grade 6-7 |
| 60-69 | Standard | News articles, general web content | Grade 8-9 |
| 30-59 | Difficult | Professional and technical documents | Grade 10-12 |
| 0-29 | Very Confusing | Academic and scientific papers | College+ |
6 tips to improve readability
Shorten your sentences
Aim for an average of under 20 words per sentence. Long sentences force readers to hold multiple clauses in working memory, which increases cognitive load.
Choose simpler words
Prefer "use" over "utilize", "show" over "demonstrate", "help" over "facilitate". Plain words are faster to process and make your writing feel direct.
Break up long paragraphs
Each paragraph should cover one idea. If a paragraph exceeds five or six lines on screen, look for a natural break point and split it.
Use active voice
Write "The team completed the project" instead of "The project was completed by the team." Active voice is shorter, clearer, and more engaging.
Avoid jargon
Define technical terms when you first use them, or replace them with plain equivalents unless you are writing for a specialist audience that expects the terminology.
Vary sentence length
Mix short punchy sentences with longer explanatory ones. Rhythm keeps readers engaged. Too many sentences of the same length create a monotonous pace.