# Free Readability Checker

> A readability checker scores how easy your text is to read. Humanit’s free tool calculates the Flesch Reading Ease score (0–100, higher is easier) and the Flesch–Kincaid grade level from your sentence length and syllables per word, then tells you the reading age your writing targets — all live in your browser.

**URL:** https://humanit.app/tools/readability-checker  ·  **Updated:** May 2026  ·  Humanit

Get your Flesch Reading Ease score and grade level instantly. Free and private — write so more people actually understand you.

## How it works

1. **Paste your text** — Type or paste your text into the readability checker above.
2. **See results instantly** — The numbers update live as you type — there’s no button to press.
3. **Edit and re-check** — Tweak your text and watch the results change in real time.

## What the Flesch Reading Ease score means

Flesch Reading Ease runs from 0 to 100 — the higher the number, the easier the text. A score of 60–70 is plain, standard English readable by most adults; below 30 reads like dense academic or legal prose. The score is driven by two things: how long your sentences are and how many syllables your words have.

## Reading ease vs grade level

The Flesch–Kincaid grade level translates the same inputs into US school grades — a grade level of 8 means a typical 13–14 year old could follow it. Most general-audience and web writing aims for grades 7–9. Aiming lower is not “dumbing down”; it is removing friction so your meaning lands the first time.

## How to improve your readability score

Two levers move the score the most: shorten your sentences and swap long words for short ones. Break a 30-word sentence into two, cut filler like “in order to” (use “to”), and prefer “use” over “utilize.” Edit in the box above and watch the score climb in real time.

## Free, unlimited, and private

The readability checker is free with no sign-up and no limit on how much text you process. Because it runs entirely in your browser, your text is never sent to a server, stored, or used to train any AI — it never leaves your device. When you’re ready to do more with your writing, Humanit’s AI humanizer and AI detector are one click away.

**Flesch Reading Ease bands**

| Score | Reads as | Audience |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 90–100 | Very easy | 5th grade |
| 70–89 | Easy → fairly easy | 6th–7th grade |
| 60–69 | Standard / plain English | 8th–9th grade |
| 50–59 | Fairly difficult | 10th–12th grade |
| 30–49 | Difficult | College |
| 0–29 | Very difficult | College graduate |

**Flesch–Kincaid grade level, explained**

| Grade level | Typical reader | Example text |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Grade 5–6 | Age 10–12 | Simple how-tos, children’s books |
| Grade 7–8 | Age 12–14 | Most blogs & news (target zone) |
| Grade 9–10 | Age 14–16 | General nonfiction |
| Grade 11–13 | High school → early college | Quality journalism & essays |
| Grade 14+ | College graduate | Academic & legal writing |

## FAQ

**What is a good readability score?**

For most general and web writing, a Flesch Reading Ease of 60–70 (around an 8th–9th grade level) is a good target — clear without feeling oversimplified.

**How is the score calculated?**

It uses the Flesch formula: longer sentences and more syllables per word lower the score. We estimate syllables with a standard English heuristic, so treat the number as a close estimate.

**What is the difference between reading ease and grade level?**

Reading ease is a 0–100 score (higher = easier); grade level maps the same inputs onto US school grades (lower = easier). They measure the same thing two ways.

**Is it free and private?**

Yes — free, unlimited, and it runs entirely in your browser, so your text is never uploaded.

**Do I need an account?**

No. There’s no sign-up and no install — open the page and start typing.

**Does it work on mobile?**

Yes — it works in any modern browser on phone, tablet, or desktop.

## Related pages

- [Word Counter](https://humanit.app/tools/word-counter) ([markdown](https://humanit.app/tools/word-counter.md))
- [Character Counter](https://humanit.app/tools/character-counter) ([markdown](https://humanit.app/tools/character-counter.md))
- [Sentence Counter](https://humanit.app/tools/sentence-counter) ([markdown](https://humanit.app/tools/sentence-counter.md))
- [Paragraph Counter](https://humanit.app/tools/paragraph-counter) ([markdown](https://humanit.app/tools/paragraph-counter.md))
- [AI Humanizer](https://humanit.app/humanize) — Rewrite AI text to read human. ([markdown](https://humanit.app/humanize.md))
- [AI Detector](https://humanit.app/detect) — Check if text reads as AI-written. ([markdown](https://humanit.app/detect.md))

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- **Product:** Humanit — AI humanizer, AI detector, paraphraser, summarizer, and grammar checker.
- **Free tier:** 1 run with no account, then 5 more free runs on a free account (one-time, they do not reset), up to 1,500 words per run.
- **Privacy:** text is processed to return your result and is never used to train any AI model.
- **Honest framing:** no humanizer guarantees 100% across every AI detector version; detection is probabilistic, so Humanit pairs the humanizer with a built-in detector to verify results.
- **iOS app:** https://apps.apple.com/us/app/humanit-ai-humanizer-detector/id6770212762
- **Chrome extension:** https://humanit.app/extension (store: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/hhaibkndncoiagmmephelhbdaijicogp)
- **Contact:** support@humanit.app

_Last updated: June 2026._