Typing Speed Test: How to Test & Improve Your WPM (2026)

A typing speed test measures how many words you can type per minute (WPM) with a given accuracy percentage – and the best free option for most people is MonkeyType, which gives you a clean interface, customizable test lengths, and detailed breakdowns of your weak keys. The average person types around 40 WPM. Gamers who need fast in-game chat or command inputs should aim for 60-80 WPM minimum, while professional typists regularly hit 90-120 WPM. This guide covers how WPM is calculated, the best online typing tests, and specific techniques to get faster. For a broader overview, see all our hardware tests and tools.

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What Is WPM and How Is It Calculated?

WPM stands for Words Per Minute. But it does not count actual words – it counts characters. The standard formula divides your total characters typed by 5 (the average word length in English) and then divides by the number of minutes spent typing.

The formula looks like this:

This standardization exists because word length varies wildly. Typing “I am OK” and “simultaneously” are different challenges, but both need a fair comparison metric. The 5-character standard was established decades ago by typing certification bodies and is still used by every major typing test today.

Most typing tests also track two related numbers:

• Gross WPM: Your raw speed before accounting for errors. This is every character you typed divided by 5, divided by time.
• Net WPM: Your gross WPM minus a penalty for errors. Each uncorrected error subtracts one “word” from your total. This is the number that matters.
• Accuracy: The percentage of characters you typed correctly. Below 95% accuracy, your net WPM drops fast because errors eat into your score.

A person who types 80 gross WPM with 90% accuracy has a net WPM around 72. A person who types 70 gross WPM with 98% accuracy has a net WPM of 68-69. The speed difference shrinks when you factor in errors. That is why accuracy matters more than raw speed until you are above 95% accuracy consistently.

Average Typing Speeds by Skill Level

Where do you fall? Here is a breakdown of typing speed tiers based on data from typing test platforms and typing competition records.

Most people land in the 40-60 WPM range. If you can already hit 60+, you are faster than the majority of people who take typing tests. Gamers often sit around 50-70 WPM because they spend a lot of time on keyboards, even if they never formally learned touch typing.

The jump from 40 to 60 WPM is achievable in 2-4 weeks of focused practice. Going from 60 to 80 takes longer – usually 1-3 months. Above 100 WPM, gains slow down and require dedicated daily practice over months. The good news is that for gaming chat and general productivity, 60-80 WPM covers you for every practical situation.

Best Online Typing Tests

Not all typing tests measure the same thing. Some use random words, others use quotes, and the test duration changes your results. Here are the most useful options, each with a different strength.

MonkeyType – Best Overall

MonkeyType is the gold standard for typing tests in 2026. It runs in your browser, tracks your history if you make an account, and lets you customize everything – test length (15s, 30s, 60s, 120s, or custom), word lists, punctuation, numbers, and even custom text. The interface is minimal and distraction-free.

What makes MonkeyType stand out is the post-test breakdown. It shows your speed over time as a graph, highlights which keys you miss most, and tracks your consistency (how stable your WPM is throughout the test). The “consistency” metric is underrated – a person who types 70 WPM with high consistency is more skilled than someone who bursts to 90 WPM but drops to 50 WPM mid-test.

The downside: MonkeyType’s default word list uses common English words, which inflates your WPM compared to real-world typing that includes punctuation, capitalization, and uncommon words. Switch to “punctuation + numbers” mode for a more realistic score.

TypeRacer – Best for Competitive Practice

TypeRacer uses real quotes from books, movies, and songs. You race against other people in real time, which adds pressure that simulates typing under stress – like when you need to call out enemy positions fast in a game.

The quotes include weird punctuation, uncommon words, and proper capitalization. This makes TypeRacer scores 10-20% lower than MonkeyType scores for most people, but they are more representative of real-world speed. If your MonkeyType score is 75 WPM, expect 55-65 WPM on TypeRacer.

TypeRacer has an older interface that feels dated, and it requires registration to track progress. But the competitive element keeps practice engaging long after solo tests get boring.

10FastFingers – Best for Quick Benchmarks

10FastFingers runs a simple 60-second test with random common words. No frills, no account needed, just a fast benchmark. It is the easiest way to get a WPM number when you want a quick check.

The limitation is that it only tests common words and does not include punctuation or capital letters. Your 10FastFingers score will be the highest of any platform, which feels nice but is not the most accurate reflection of your real typing speed.

Keybr – Best for Learning Touch Typing

Keybr is not a typing test – it is a typing trainer. It starts with a few keys and progressively unlocks more as you master each one. The algorithm tracks your accuracy on every single key and focuses practice on your weakest ones.

If you are below 40 WPM or still hunt-and-peck, start with Keybr before worrying about speed tests. It teaches proper finger placement in a way that sticks, and you will see improvement within the first few sessions.

How to Take an Accurate Typing Speed Test

Your typing test results can swing by 15-20 WPM depending on conditions. To get a consistent baseline, follow these steps:

1. Warm up first. Take two or three throwaway tests before recording your “real” score. Cold fingers type slower, and your brain needs a minute to shift into typing mode.
2. Use a 60-second test. Tests shorter than 30 seconds inflate your WPM because you are typing in a sprint. Tests longer than 2 minutes bring in fatigue. The 60-second window is the standard benchmark length.
3. Enable punctuation and capitalization. Plain lowercase words are easier than real text. For an accurate picture of your practical speed, include punctuation.
4. Sit properly. Feet flat on the floor, wrists hovering above the keyboard (not resting on the desk edge), monitor at eye level. Bad posture slows you down and skews results.
5. Take 3-5 tests and average them. A single test is noisy. Your true WPM is the average of several attempts on the same platform with the same settings.

Write down your baseline number and the date. Retest every week under the same conditions to track progress. Small improvements of 2-3 WPM per week are normal – do not expect overnight jumps.

Touch Typing: The Foundation of Speed

Touch typing means typing without looking at your keyboard. Your fingers learn where every key is through muscle memory, and your eyes stay on the screen. This is the single biggest factor separating 40 WPM typists from 80+ WPM typists.

The home row is where your fingers rest by default:

Each finger is responsible for a column of keys above and below the home row. Your left index finger handles F, R, V, T, G, and B. Your right index covers J, U, M, Y, H, and N. This system keeps hand movement minimal – your fingers reach up or down from home position instead of your whole hand sliding across the keyboard.

Learning touch typing takes 2-4 weeks of 20-30 minutes of daily practice. During this period your speed will drop – sometimes a lot. That is normal. You are replacing bad habits with efficient ones, and the temporary slowdown pays off with much higher speed ceilings later.

Three rules during the learning phase:

1. Never look at your keyboard. Cover it with a cloth if you have to. Every time you glance down, you reinforce the hunt-and-peck habit.
2. Use the correct finger for every key. It feels awkward at first, especially for keys you used to hit with the “wrong” finger. Stick with it.
3. Prioritize accuracy over speed. Speed comes from accuracy. If you are making errors on 10% of keystrokes, slow down until you are under 3%, then gradually push faster.

How to Improve Your Typing Speed

Once you have a touch typing foundation, these techniques push your WPM higher. The strategies differ depending on your current speed level.

If You Are Under 40 WPM: Fix Your Fundamentals

At this speed, the bottleneck is almost always technique, not practice volume. You are probably using too few fingers, looking at the keyboard, or using a non-standard finger mapping that caps your potential.

Spend 3-4 weeks on Keybr.com learning proper touch typing from scratch. It will feel frustrating. You might type slower during the retraining period than you did before. That is the cost of unlearning bad habits, and it is worth it. Nobody reaches 80+ WPM while looking at their keys.

If You Are 40-60 WPM: Focus on Accuracy

The most common mistake at this speed is chasing WPM numbers instead of fixing error patterns. Check your typing test breakdown – which keys do you miss most? For many people it is the right-hand keys (P, semicolon, apostrophe) and the number row.

Set a hard rule: do not move on to speed practice until you can consistently type at 96%+ accuracy. Every error costs you more time (backspace, retype) than slowing down to hit the right key the first time. MonkeyType’s key analysis feature shows your per-key accuracy – use it.

If You Are 60-80 WPM: Train Weak Bigrams

A bigram is a two-letter combination. At this speed, your overall technique is solid but specific letter pairs trip you up. Common problem bigrams include “qu”, “ght”, “tion”, and any combination where both keys are hit by the same hand.

MonkeyType lets you create custom word lists. Make one focused on words containing your worst bigrams and practice that list until those combinations feel automatic. This targeted approach builds speed faster than raw typing practice.

If You Are 80+ WPM: Diminishing Returns Territory

Above 80 WPM, improvement is slow. You are already faster than 90%+ of typists. Gains come from:
reducing unnecessary hand movement, typing more fluidly between words (minimizing pauses between words), and handling uncommon words and punctuation without slowing down.

Some typists at this level experiment with alternative keyboard layouts like Colemak or Dvorak, which place the most common letters on the home row. These layouts can increase top-end speed, but the retraining period is long (6-12 months to match your QWERTY speed) and the real-world gains are debatable for anyone not pursuing competitive typing.

Does Your Keyboard Affect Typing Speed?

Yes, but less than you think. Technique accounts for roughly 90% of your typing speed. The keyboard handles the other 10% – but that 10% matters once your technique is solid.

Here is how different keyboard factors affect your speed in practice:

Mechanical vs Membrane

Mechanical keyboards give consistent tactile feedback that helps your fingers learn exactly where the actuation point is. This makes it easier to develop the muscle memory needed for touch typing. The improvement is not dramatic – expect 3-8 WPM gains switching from a cheap membrane board to a decent mechanical one. The bigger benefit is comfort during long typing sessions.

Switch Type

Linear switches (Cherry MX Red, Gateron Yellow) are slightly faster for raw typing speed because there is no tactile bump slowing the downstroke. Tactile switches (Cherry MX Brown, Akko Cream Yellow) provide a bump that some typists find helpful for accuracy. The difference between them is 1-3 WPM at most – pick whatever feels better to you.

Clicky switches (Cherry MX Blue, Kailh Box White) are loud and can annoy roommates or Discord teammates with open mics. They do not type faster than linears or tactiles. The click is about feel and sound preference, not speed.

Actuation Distance

Standard switches actuate at 2.0mm. Speed switches like Cherry MX Speed Silver actuate at 1.2mm. Hall effect switches with rapid trigger can actuate even shallower. Shorter actuation means less finger travel to register a keypress.

The speed gain is marginal for typing – maybe 2-5 WPM if you already type well. The risk is more accidental keypresses from resting your fingers too heavily. Speed switches help more in gaming (where rapid key taps matter) than in typing (where steady rhythm matters).

Keycap Profile

Sculpted profiles like Cherry or SA have different heights per row, guiding your fingers to the right position. Flat profiles like DSA or XDA are uniform height across all rows, which some typists find disorienting. If you are learning touch typing, sculpted keycaps help your fingers find home row without looking.

Typing Speed for Gamers

Gamers need typing speed in different situations than office workers, and the requirements are specific.

In-Game Chat

Most competitive games use text chat for callouts, strategy, and coordination. In games like League of Legends, Dota 2, and VALORANT, typing a quick message during a respawn timer or between rounds can change the outcome. You need to type fast enough that the message gets sent before the action resumes – usually 60+ WPM to keep messages under 3-4 seconds.

The catch: you are typing with one hand on WASD and the other moving to the keyboard, or you briefly take both hands off your mouse and keyboard to type. Practice typing without looking at the keyboard is even more important in gaming because your eyes need to stay on the screen to monitor the game state.

Console Commands

Games like Counter-Strike, Minecraft (with mods), and Source Engine titles use console commands. Typing “sv_cheats 1” or “/gamemode creative” fast matters less than typing it accurately – one wrong character and the command fails. For console commands, accuracy at 40+ WPM is better than sloppy 80 WPM.

MMO Communication

MMO players type constantly – guild chat, party coordination, trade negotiations. In games like Final Fantasy XIV or World of Warcraft, the social component runs on text. Being a slow typist in an MMO is like being on mute in a voice call – you miss out on half the experience. Aim for 60-80 WPM for comfortable MMO communication.

Streaming and Content Creation

Streamers who type in chat while playing need to switch between gaming inputs and text input without missing a beat. Fast typing keeps the stream interactive without long pauses. Touch typing is mandatory here – you cannot look away from your game and chat feed to hunt for keys.

Common Mistakes That Kill Your WPM

Which Typing Test Should You Use?

Here is the quick answer based on what you need:

For most gamers, MonkeyType is the best single tool. It handles testing and training, the customization is deep, and the community leaderboards give you targets to aim for. Use it 10-15 minutes a day and track your weekly averages – that is the fastest path to real improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good typing speed?

A good typing speed is 60-80 WPM with 95%+ accuracy. This puts you above average and is fast enough for any practical task including gaming chat, work emails, and coding. Professional typists and writers typically sit at 80-100 WPM. Competitive typists reach 120-200+ WPM, but that level is not necessary for daily use.

What is the average typing speed?

The average typing speed is 40 WPM for adults, based on data from major typing test platforms. Students average slightly higher at around 45 WPM because they type more frequently for schoolwork. Professional transcriptionists and writers average 60-80 WPM. The world record for sustained typing is over 200 WPM.

How long does it take to improve typing speed?

Most people can gain 10-15 WPM within 2-4 weeks of daily 15-minute practice sessions. Going from hunt-and-peck to touch typing takes 3-6 weeks and may temporarily lower your speed. Reaching 80+ WPM from a 40 WPM baseline takes 2-4 months of consistent practice. Above 100 WPM, expect 6-12 months for meaningful gains.

Does the keyboard you use affect typing speed?

A keyboard affects typing speed by about 5-10% at most. Mechanical keyboards with consistent actuation points are slightly better than mushy membrane boards for building muscle memory. Switch type, keycap profile, and actuation distance play small roles. But technique – proper finger placement, touch typing, and accuracy – matters far more than hardware.

Does typing speed matter for gaming?

Typing speed matters for in-game chat, console commands, and MMO communication. For competitive games like VALORANT or League of Legends, 60+ WPM lets you send callouts between rounds without losing focus. For MMOs, 60-80 WPM keeps you in guild conversations. For pure gameplay actions like WASD movement, typing speed is irrelevant – reaction time and key binding matter instead.

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