Use this free readability checker to check readability online instantly, get your Flesch score and reading level, and improve clarity — no signup required.
Next step: Fix grammar issues before publishing — use our Grammar Checker or check word count with the Word Counter.
A readability test tells you whether your content is easy enough for your target audience to read and understand. This matters for both readers and search engines:
This free readability checker uses the Flesch Reading Ease formula to score your text in 4 steps:
Click the text area above and paste your blog post, essay, product description, or any written content.
The tool calculates your Flesch Reading Ease score, sentence count, word count, and average sentence length instantly.
Your score (0-100) appears with a reading level label — Very Easy, Easy, Standard, Difficult, or Very Difficult — and a visual bar showing where you sit on the scale.
Follow the actionable suggestions: shorten sentences, replace complex words, and use active voice to push your score above 60 for general audiences.
After checking readability, run your content through our Keyword Density Checker to ensure your target keyword appears at the right frequency — typically 1-2% of total words. Good readability + right keyword density = stronger SEO.
Use this table to understand where your score places you and who your content is suited for:
| Score | Level | Typical Audience | SEO Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90–100 | Very Easy | 5th grade / children | Simple landing pages, ads |
| 70–90 | Easy | General public (Grade 6–7) | Blog posts, product pages |
| 60–70 | Standard | General adult audience | ✅ Ideal for most SEO content |
| 30–60 | Difficult | High school / college | Technical articles, guides |
| 0–30 | Very Difficult | University / professional | Academic papers, legal text |
A readability score — also called a readability test, reading level checker, or reading ease score — measures how easy or difficult a piece of text is to read. The most widely used formula is the Flesch Reading Ease score, developed by Rudolf Flesch in 1948 and still used by Microsoft Word, Hemingway Editor, and most SEO tools today.
The formula considers two main factors: average sentence length (longer sentences are harder to read) and average syllables per word (longer, more complex words are harder to read). A score of 60-70 is considered ideal for general web content — readable by most adults without effort.
For SEO, readability matters because Google's goal is to serve content that users can actually understand and engage with. Content that is too complex tends to have higher bounce rates, lower dwell time, and weaker engagement signals — all of which can affect rankings indirectly.
If your Flesch score is below 60, here are the most effective changes:
Once your readability score is above 60, check for grammar and spelling errors before publishing. Our grammar checker catches tense errors, subject-verb agreement issues, and punctuation mistakes.