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Paste any copy. Get instant word count, reading time, Flesch-Kincaid readability score, and suggestions to simplify.
Short ≤10 words · Medium 11–20 · Long 20+
The Flesch Reading Ease score (0–100) measures how easy a piece of writing is to read. Developed by Rudolf Flesch in 1948 and refined by Kincaid for the US Navy, it's the most widely used readability formula in the world. Higher is easier: a score of 90+ reads like a children's book; 30 or below reads like academic literature.
The formula: 206.835 − 1.015 × (words ÷ sentences) − 84.6 × (syllables ÷ words). Two factors drive it: average sentence length and average word length (measured in syllables). Long sentences and polysyllabic words both tank your score. Short sentences and plain words raise it.
Most web copy targets a score of 60–70 ("standard" to "easy"). Email marketers aim for 70+. If you're writing for a general consumer audience, 65+ is the benchmark. Academic and legal writing typically lands in the 30–50 range — readable for specialists, hard work for everyone else.
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