Your speed is measured in net WPM: the number of correctly typed characters, divided by five, per minute. Mistakes you leave in lower your speed, and every wrong keystroke lowers your accuracy, so the fastest route to a high score is a calm, steady rhythm.
How your speed compares
Typing speeds roughly follow a bell curve. These are approximate shares of adult typists you'd be faster than on a 1 minute test with at least 90% accuracy. After each test, your result screen shows where your score sits.
| Your WPM | Faster than about | Typical for |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 9% of typists | Hunt-and-peck typing |
| 30 | 25% | Casual computer users |
| 40 | 50% | The average adult |
| 50 | 74% | Comfortable office work |
| 60 | 89% | Strong touch typists |
| 80 | 98% | Transcription and fast programmers |
| 100+ | 99.8% | Competitive typists |
What your typing speed test result means
WPM is the headline number, but look at the other three scores too. Accuracy should stay at 95% or above; below that, slowing down slightly will usually raise your WPM. Raw WPM counts every key you pressed, so a big gap between raw and net WPM means mistakes are costing you speed. Consistency shows how evenly you typed from second to second.
How to get a reliable score
A single test can be lucky or unlucky. For a number you can put on a CV or compare week to week:
- Warm up with one or two short tests first.
- Take three 1 minute tests and use the average.
- Use a physical keyboard; phone keyboards score much lower.
- For job applications, also try the 5 minute test - employers often measure over longer periods.
Ready for more?
Frequently asked questions
What is a good typing speed?
Around 40 WPM is average for adults. 50-60 WPM is good for most office jobs, and anything over 70 WPM is fast.
How is the percentile calculated?
It's an estimate based on widely published typing test distributions, where the average adult types around 40 WPM. The speed comparison page also shows live data from TypingAcademy results once there are enough of them.
Is this typing speed test free?
Yes. The test, your history and certificates are free. An account is optional and lets you sync results and appear on leaderboards.
What's the difference between this and the typing test page?
This page focuses on a quick speed check and how you rank. The full typing test lets you choose lengths from 15 seconds to 10 minutes and other text types.