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Free Readability Checker

Paste your copy to get seven readability scores and a Hemingway-style view that highlights what makes it hard to read: long complex sentences, adverbs, passive voice and wordy phrases, with a simpler option for each.

Free. No signup. Runs in your browser.

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Flesch reading ease70Fairly easy

Average grade level7.6Aim for 8 or lower for web copy

Flesch-Kincaid grade6.2

Gunning fog9.2

SMOG index9.7

Coleman-Liau7.7

Automated readability5.1

Words676 sentences

Complex words11.9%Three or more syllables

In order to effectively utilize the data that is being collected by your analytics platform, it is important that a number of processes are established by the team. Reports were generated weekly but were rarely read. Honestly, most teams simply never look at them.

Keep it short. Say what changed, why it matters, and what to do next. That is the whole job of a good report.

Hard to read sentences0
Very hard to read sentences1
Adverbs3
Passive voice4
Wordy phrases (hover for a fix)4

What you get

Seven readability scores

Flesch reading ease, Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning fog, SMOG, Coleman-Liau, ARI and an average grade.

Hemingway-style highlights

Hard and very hard sentences, adverbs, passive voice and wordy phrases, marked in place.

Fixes, not just flags

Hover a wordy phrase to see a plainer replacement.

How the readability scores work

Every formula measures the same two things in different ways: how long your sentences are and how long your words are. Flesch reading ease runs from 0 to 100, where higher is easier; 60 to 70 reads as plain English. The grade-level scores estimate the US school grade needed to follow the text, so 8 means a typical 13 to 14 year old can read it.

For web copy, aim for a Flesch score above 60 and a grade of 8 or lower. Technical audiences can handle more, but even developers skim. Short sentences and common words help every reader, including the ones reading in a second language.

A free Hemingway Editor alternative

The Hemingway Editor made colored highlighting popular: yellow for hard sentences, red for very hard ones, blue for adverbs and green for passive voice. This checker uses the same approach and adds the full set of readability formulas, all in your browser with nothing to install and no account.

Treat the highlights as prompts, not rules. Passive voice is fine when the actor does not matter, and some adverbs earn their place. Fix the red sentences first; splitting one very long sentence usually does more than removing ten adverbs.

Why readability matters for AI search

AI assistants quote passages that answer a question cleanly. Dense paragraphs with the answer buried in the fifth clause are harder to extract and cite. Plain, direct sentences help both human readers and the models that decide which pages to cite.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good Flesch reading ease score?

60 to 70 is plain English that most adults read easily. For marketing and web copy, aim for 60 or higher.

What grade level should web content be?

Grade 8 or lower for general audiences. Technical content can go higher, but shorter sentences still help.

Is this a Hemingway Editor alternative?

Yes. It highlights hard sentences, adverbs, passive voice and wordy phrases the same way, and adds seven readability scores. It is free and runs in your browser.

Is my text stored or sent anywhere?

No. All analysis happens in your browser. Nothing you paste leaves the page.

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