Paste any text to instantly calculate the Flesch Reading Ease score, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, sentence stats, and targeted tips to make your writing clearer — free, no signup.
This table converts your score to a reading difficulty level, US grade level, and real-world examples. The active row highlights your current score.
| Score Range | Difficulty | US Grade Level | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 – 100 | Very Easy | 5th grade | Children's books, simple instructions |
| 80 – 89 | Easy | 6th grade | Casual conversation, tabloid news |
| 70 – 79 | Fairly Easy | 7th grade | Popular fiction, sports reporting |
| 60 – 69 | Standard | 8th–9th grade | Time magazine, most web content |
| 50 – 59 | Fairly Difficult | 10th–12th grade | Business reports, professional emails |
| 30 – 49 | Difficult | College | Academic journals, technical docs |
| 0 – 29 | Very Difficult | College graduate | Legal contracts, scientific papers |
Developed by linguist Rudolf Flesch in 1948, this formula calculates reading ease from two factors: sentence length (longer sentences → lower score) and word complexity (more syllables → lower score). The result is a score from 0 to 100, where higher means easier to read.
The related Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level formula maps the same inputs to a US school grade: Grade = (0.39 × avg words/sentence) + (11.8 × avg syllables/word) − 15.59
Copy any content — blog post, email, report, product description — and paste it into the text area. The score updates automatically as you type.
The Flesch Reading Ease score (0–100) shows instantly. 60+ is standard for most web content. Use the score converter table to understand exactly where you land.
Follow the improvement tips to shorten long sentences, replace complex words, and boost your score. Aim for 60–70 for general audiences; 70–80 for marketing copy.
The Flesch Reading Ease score is a numerical measure (0–100) of how easy a piece of English text is to read. Higher scores mean simpler, more accessible text. The formula was developed by Rudolf Flesch in 1948 and is widely used by editors, SEO professionals, educators, and content marketers. A score of 60–70 is the sweet spot for most web content.
The formula is: Score = 206.835 − (1.015 × average words per sentence) − (84.6 × average syllables per word). Two factors drive the score: how long your sentences are (word count per sentence) and how complex your words are (syllables per word). Reducing either improves readability.
Target 60–70 for general web content, blog posts, and news articles. Aim for 70–80 for marketing emails and product pages. Technical documentation typically falls between 40–60. Legal or academic text often scores below 30. Match your score to your audience — don't over-simplify for specialist readers.
The two most effective changes: (1) Break long sentences into shorter ones — target 15–20 words per sentence. (2) Replace multi-syllable words with simpler synonyms: "utilise" → "use", "approximately" → "about", "demonstrate" → "show". Also use active voice and split long paragraphs into shorter ones. Each change directly improves your score.
Yes. The Flesch Reading Ease score (0–100, higher is easier) and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (a US school grade, lower is easier) use the same two inputs but different formulas. A Flesch Reading Ease score of 65 corresponds roughly to grade 8–9. Both metrics were developed from the original Flesch research and are often cited together.
