Flesch Reading Ease calculator
Flesch Reading Ease scores text from roughly 0 to 100. Higher means easier. Only two things matter: how long your sentences are and how many syllables your words have.
Paste text to see all readability scores update live.
The Flesch Reading Ease formula
206.835 − 1.015 × (words ÷ sentences) − 84.6 × (syllables ÷ words)
Most readers find 60–70 comfortable. Plain-English guidance for public-facing writing usually aims for 60 or above.
Rudolf Flesch published the formula in 1948. It is built into Microsoft Word and many content tools.
What your score means
| Score | Reading level |
|---|---|
| 90–100 | Very easy – understood by an average 11-year-old |
| 80–89 | Easy |
| 70–79 | Fairly easy |
| 60–69 | Plain English – ages 13–15 |
| 50–59 | Fairly difficult |
| 30–49 | Difficult – college level |
| 0–29 | Very difficult – graduate level |
Drag the inputs, watch the score
The formula only “sees” these numbers. Change them and notice which one moves the score most.
Reading ease (higher = easier)
61.7
Plain English
Questions people ask
What is a good Flesch Reading Ease score?
For general audiences aim for 60 to 70. Web copy and instructions often target 70 or higher. Academic papers commonly score between 10 and 40, which is normal for specialist readers.
Can a Flesch score be negative or above 100?
Yes. Extremely long sentences packed with long words can go below zero, and very short sentences of one-syllable words can exceed 100. The 0–100 range is typical, not a hard limit.
How is Flesch Reading Ease different from Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level?
They use the same two inputs with different weights. Reading Ease gives a 0–100 score where higher is easier; the Kincaid version, developed for the US Navy in 1975, converts the result to a US school grade where higher is harder.