Readability Score Checker
Check how easy your writing is to read, with a readability score, grade level and the factors behind it.
How hard is your writing to read
Readability measures how much effort it takes to read your text, based mainly on sentence length and word complexity. It matters because writing that is harder than it needs to be loses readers — most audiences read comfortably at a fairly low grade level, and clear, simple writing reaches more people. This scores your text and shows the grade level it corresponds to.
What the score is built from
The common readability formulas combine two things: how long your sentences are, and how long or complex your words are. Longer sentences and longer words both push the difficulty up.
Roughly: harder text = longer sentences + longer / complex wordsEasier text = shorter sentences + shorter, common wordsTwo widely-used measures come out of this. A reading-ease score runs on a scale where higher means easier. A grade-level score estimates the school grade needed to read the text comfortably, so a grade level of 8 means a typical thirteen-year-old could follow it.
What to aim for
Target audiences and their comfortable reading levels vary, but these are useful guideposts:
| Grade level | Reads like | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 6–8 | Plain, conversational | Most web and social content |
| 9–12 | Standard adult prose | General articles, newsletters |
| 13–16 | Academic, demanding | Technical or specialist writing |
Aiming for around grade 6 to 8 for general content is a sound default — not because your readers are unable to read more, but because easy reading is faster and less effortful for everyone, so more of them stay with you. The quickest ways to improve a score are shortening long sentences and swapping complex words for plain ones.
Common questions
What does a readability grade level mean?
The school grade needed to read the text comfortably — grade 8 means a typical thirteen-year-old could follow it. Lower is easier.
What reading level should I aim for?
Around grade 6 to 8 for general web and social content. Easy reading is faster for everyone, so more readers stay with you.
How do I make my writing easier to read?
Shorten long sentences and replace complex words with plain, common ones — the two factors readability scores are built on.
Does simple writing mean dumbing down?
No — it means being clear. Even expert readers prefer text that is easy to process; simplicity is about effort, not intelligence.
Is my text uploaded?
No. The analysis happens in your browser.