Typing Speed (WPM) Test
Measure your typing speed in net words per minute, with errors priced in.
How this test works
You retype a fixed passage while the page compares each character against the target as you go, colouring correct characters green and wrong ones red. The clock starts on your first keystroke rather than when the page loads. Two rates come out of it: gross words per minute, which is characters typed divided by five per minute, and net words per minute, which subtracts one word for every uncorrected error. Net leads because gross alone rewards typing fast and wrong — it measures how quickly the fingers moved rather than how quickly usable text was produced, and the two diverge sharply once accuracy drops below about 95%.
What the results mean
- Net WPM
- The figure that matters. Gross rate minus one word per uncorrected error, which is the standard penalty.
- Gross WPM
- Raw keystroke rate with errors included. Always the higher number, and on its own the less useful one.
- Accuracy
- Correct characters as a share of characters typed. Below about 95% the error penalty starts to dominate the score.
- Errors
- Characters that do not match the target at that position. Corrected mistakes cost time but not the error penalty.
Common problems and fixes
- My net score is far below my gross score
- That is accuracy rather than speed. Each uncorrected error costs a full word, so slowing down slightly almost always raises the net figure.
- I score much higher on the same passage second time
- Familiarity, and it is why professional tests use unseen text. Use a different passage for a fair comparison.
- The clock seems to start late
- It starts on your first keystroke, deliberately, so reading the passage first costs you nothing.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good typing speed?
Around 40 words per minute is typical for someone who types regularly. Professional roles generally look for 60 to 70. Above 100 net is genuinely fast and uncommon.
Why is a word five characters?
Because it makes the number comparable. Real words vary from two letters to twelve, so counting them would make a passage of short words score far higher than one of long words at exactly the same keystroke rate. Five characters including the space has been the standard since typewriter-era testing.
Should I fix my mistakes as I go?
Usually yes. A correction costs a second or two; an uncorrected error costs a full word off the net score. The exception is a mistake several words back, where going for it costs more than it saves.