Originally published at https://bestlatestapps.com/blog/how-to-test-your-typing-speed-wpm-and-accuracy/.
Most people describe themselves as "pretty fast" typists until they take a test. A typical result, something like 52 WPM at 91% accuracy, is fine, and the accuracy number usually turns out to be the more useful one. Typing speed test gives you both, using real sentences instead of random word lists.
Steps
- Choose the length and the kind of text.
- Start typing in the box. The timer begins with your first keystroke, so there's no rush to click Start.
- Read your speed and accuracy, then try another passage.
Mistakes show in red as you go.
How WPM is calculated
Typing tests count five characters, including spaces, as one word. That's the standard, and it means a long word doesn't punish you and a short one doesn't flatter you.
- Gross WPM counts everything you typed.
- Net WPM counts only correct characters, so errors pull your score down.
- Accuracy is the percentage of characters you got right.
Backspace is allowed. Fixing a mistake still counts against accuracy, but the corrected text counts toward speed, which is how real typing works.
What's a good score?
Roughly: about 40 WPM is average for adults, 60–70 is good for office work, and 80+ is fast. For data entry or transcription jobs, employers often ask for 40–60 WPM with 95%+ accuracy, and some government typing tests in India set their own speed requirements, so check the specific exam's rules.
Real text, not word salad
The passages come from public-domain classics such as Pride and Prejudice and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. That means capital letters, commas, semicolons and quotation marks, which is closer to typing emails and documents than drills of common lowercase words. Expect a slightly lower score than on word-list tests; it's a more honest number.
Getting faster, practically
- Accuracy first. Slow down until you're at 97%+, then speed up. Fixing errors is slower than not making them.
- Look at the screen, not the keys. Even a few weeks of resisting the urge pays off.
- Use all ten fingers with home row (ASDF JKL;) as your base. If you've been typing with four fingers for years, your speed will dip before it climbs.
- Short, regular sessions beat occasional marathons. Ten minutes a day is plenty.
- Notice your weak keys. If you keep missing the same letters or punctuation, practise those words specifically.
- Posture and keyboard matter more than people think: wrists level, screen at eye height.
Practical uses
- Checking yourself before a job application that lists a typing requirement.
- Kids learning to type for school; make it a weekly challenge.
- Tracking improvement after switching keyboards (mechanical, split, laptop).
- A friendly office competition; just compare net WPM, not gross.
Measuring progress properly
One test is a snapshot; your score varies with the passage, your mood and how warmed up your fingers are. Take three tests at the same length, note the median net WPM and accuracy, and repeat the routine weekly. A spreadsheet with dates is enough. Watching accuracy creep from 90% to 97% over a month is more motivating than any single high score, and it's the change that makes everyday typing feel effortless.
Privacy
According to the page, what you type is checked in the tab and cleared when you start again. Like every page on the site, there are Google ads.
FAQ
What's a good typing speed? About 40 WPM is average; 60–70 is good; 80+ is fast.
Do mistakes lower my score? Yes, net WPM only counts correct characters.
Can I use backspace? Yes; fixes still affect accuracy.
Where do the passages come from? Public-domain classic novels.
How fast are you really? Find out with Typing speed test.
— Alok Kumar Singh