Readability Checker
Free readability checker. Test your content's Flesch reading ease and grade level, and get tips to make it clearer and easier to read. Instant results, no signup.
Find out how easy your content is to read. Paste your text and this free readability checker calculates the Flesch Reading Ease score, grade level, and other metrics, then highlights long sentences and complex words so you can simplify and hold your reader’s attention.
Readability checker
Flesch reading ease and grade level, plus the longest sentence holding your copy back.
How to use the Readability Checker
- Paste your content.
- Run the readability analysis.
- Review your Flesch score and grade level.
- Simplify flagged sentences and words.
Why readability matters for SEO
Clear, scannable content keeps visitors engaged, improving dwell time and reducing bounce, signals that support rankings. Most audiences read comfortably at a grade 7-8 level, so aiming for a high reading-ease score helps more people understand and act on your content.
What the score means
Flesch reading ease runs 0–100. Above 70 is easy reading; 60–70 is plain English and the sweet spot for most commercial websites; below 50 reads like a research paper. The grade level converts the same maths into years of schooling, which is useful when a client insists their audience is “technical”, even specialists prefer plain sentences.
Why readability affects rankings indirectly
Google does not score prose quality directly, but readable pages hold attention, earn more links, get shared more, and convert better. Those behaviours feed the signals that do matter. Dense copy also blocks featured snippets, which favour short, declarative sentences.
Five edits that reliably raise the score
- Split any sentence over 25 words at its conjunction.
- Replace nominalisations, “implementation of” becomes “implement”.
- Cut adverbs and hedging: very, quite, arguably, essentially.
- Use active voice so the subject does the work.
- Break lists out of paragraphs into real bullet lists.
Do not over-optimise for the number
Chopping every sentence to eight words produces a staccato page that reads like an instruction manual. Vary sentence length; aim for a score in the sixties with a natural rhythm. Then check length and structure with the word counter.
Key features
- Flesch Reading Ease & grade level
- Long-sentence highlighting
- Complex-word flags
- Passive-voice detection
- Free
Frequently asked questions
What’s a good Flesch Reading Ease score?
60-70+ is easy to read for most web content.
What reading level should I write for?
Around grade 7-8 for a general audience.
Does readability affect SEO?
Indirectly, easier content improves engagement, which supports rankings.
Related free tools
Word Counter · Keyword Density Checker · Duplicate Content Checker. See all of our free SEO tools.
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