Readability checker

Paste English text and this tool works out its Flesch Reading Ease score and Flesch–Kincaid grade level, then lists sentences over 25 words, longest first, so you know where to start editing.

It’s for makers writing landing pages, docs and launch posts who want them easy to follow. The scores update as you edit, so you can see each change help.

Your text (English)

Free with a ShipScroll account.

How to use the Readability Checker

Paste a few paragraphs of English text. Very short samples give jumpy scores.
Press Check readability.
Start with the long sentences it lists: splitting them is the quickest win.
Swap long words for short ones where the meaning holds, and watch the score rise.

What the two scores mean

Score	Formula	Read it as
Flesch Reading Ease	206.835 − 1.015 × (words ÷ sentences) − 84.6 × (syllables ÷ words)	Higher is easier. 60–70 is plain English; under 30 is hard going
Flesch–Kincaid grade	0.39 × (words ÷ sentences) + 11.8 × (syllables ÷ words) − 15.59	Roughly the US school year needed to follow the text

What the scores can’t tell you

Both formulas only look at sentence length and word length. They can’t tell whether your text is clear, accurate or well ordered, and short words in a muddled order still score well. Syllables are estimated with English spelling rules, so scores for other languages, names and jargon are rough.

Use the score to compare drafts of the same text, not as a target to hit at any cost.

Questions

What score should I aim for?

For a product page or launch post, a reading ease of 60 or more (grade 8 or lower) suits most readers. Technical docs can sit lower, but shorter sentences still help.

Does readability affect SEO?

Not as a score: Google doesn’t use Flesch. Clear writing helps people stay and act on your page, which matters more.

Why does a short text get an odd score?

With only a sentence or two, one long word swings the result a lot. Check at least a few paragraphs.