Readability Scorer
Analyze text readability using industry-standard formulas including Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, SMOG, and Coleman-Liau indices.
Try with sample text:
Enter text and click "Analyze Readability" to see scores
Flesch Reading Ease Scale
About the Readability Scorer
This readability scorer runs five formulas — Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, SMOG and Coleman-Liau — and reports them together, because where they disagree tells you which lever to pull.
A readability scorer estimates reading difficulty from sentence and word length. Running five formulas rather than one is deliberate: each weights those inputs differently, so agreement between them is a strong signal and disagreement is itself informative.
Coleman-Liau is the interesting outlier because it counts characters rather than syllables, which makes it more reliable on technical text where syllable estimation goes wrong. When it disagrees sharply with Flesch-Kincaid, long words rather than long sentences are usually the problem.
For a general audience, aim for grade 8 to 10 and a Flesch Reading Ease above 60. Government and health communication often targets grade 6. And remember all five measure mechanics only — none can tell whether the writing is clear, accurate or well organised.
How to use the Readability Scorer
- Paste your text. Enter the copy you want scored.
- Compare all five scores. Look at where the formulas agree and where they diverge.
- Diagnose the cause. A Coleman-Liau outlier points at vocabulary rather than sentence length.
- Revise and rescore. Shorten sentences or simplify terms, then check the change.
Readability Scorer features
- Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level
- Gunning Fog and SMOG indices
- Coleman-Liau, which counts characters rather than syllables
- Combined grade level estimate
- Guidance on interpreting disagreement between formulas
- Runs entirely in your browser
Frequently asked questions
Why run five formulas instead of one?
Each weights sentence and word length differently. Agreement is a strong signal; disagreement tells you which lever to pull.
What makes Coleman-Liau different?
It counts characters rather than syllables, which makes it more reliable on technical text where syllable counting goes wrong.
What score should I aim for?
Grade 8 to 10 and Flesch Reading Ease above 60 for a general audience. Government and health communication often targets grade 6.
Do these scores measure writing quality?
No. They measure mechanics only — not clarity, accuracy or organisation.
Is my text uploaded?
No. All scoring happens in your browser.