Readability Checker
Analyse your text with Flesch, Flesch-Kincaid, SMOG, Gunning Fog, Coleman-Liau and ARI scores.
What is Readability Checker?
A readability checker analyses written text and produces objective scores that tell you how easy or difficult your content is to read. This tool calculates seven established readability formulas at once: Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, SMOG Index, Gunning Fog Index, Coleman-Liau Index, Automated Readability Index (ARI), and the Dale-Chall score. Together, these formulas give you a well-rounded picture of your text's complexity.
Readability scores matter because different audiences have different reading abilities and patience. A financial report aimed at analysts can afford technical language, but a consumer-facing landing page or a healthcare leaflet needs to be understood quickly by people across a wide range of literacy levels. Plain language guidelines from government bodies and style guides like AP or NIST typically recommend targeting a Flesch Reading Ease score of 60 or higher for general audiences.
The formulas work by examining sentence length, word length, syllable count, and the frequency of unfamiliar words. Shorter sentences and common words consistently produce higher (easier) scores. By reviewing your text through multiple lenses simultaneously, you can see whether a single long sentence or a cluster of technical terms is dragging your score down.
Use this tool when editing blog posts, documentation, marketing copy, academic writing, or any content where clarity is critical. Paste your draft, review the scores, then revise until you reach your target grade level.
How to Use Readability Checker
- Paste or type your text
Enter any piece of writing into the text area — a blog post, email, report, product description, or any content you want to analyse.
- Scores calculate instantly
All seven readability scores update in real time as you type or paste. No button press needed.
- Interpret the results
Review each score alongside its interpretation guide to understand what grade level or audience the text is suited for.
- Revise and recheck
Edit your text to shorten sentences or swap complex words, then watch the scores improve as you type.
Key Benefits
Flesch, Flesch-Kincaid, SMOG, Gunning Fog, Coleman-Liau, ARI, and Dale-Chall all run simultaneously so you get a consensus view.
Scores update with every keystroke, letting you see immediately how a small edit changes the reading difficulty.
Match your content to the right audience — whether that is a seventh-grader or a PhD researcher — by hitting the right grade level.
Text is processed entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to a server or stored anywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Scores of 60-70 are considered plain English suitable for a general adult audience. Scores above 70 are easy to read, while scores below 30 are best understood by university graduates.
No single formula is definitive. Flesch Reading Ease and Gunning Fog are most widely cited for general writing. Use the average across all seven for a balanced view.
The formulas were designed for English text and assume English syllable and word patterns. Results for other languages will not be accurate.
Most formulas need at least 100 words to produce reliable scores. Very short snippets can give misleading results because they lack enough sentences and words to average out.