SEO · Free tool
Flesch Reading Ease Score
Get the Flesch Reading Ease score, grade level and a plain-English band for any draft.
Words
31
Sentences
2
Avg words / sentence
15.5
Avg syllables / word
1.32
Flesch Reading Ease
79.2
Easy (7th grade)
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 6.1
What score to aim for
For general-audience content target 60–70 (plain English, US 8th-grade level). Technical or legal content can sit at 30–50. Below 30 reads as unnecessarily academic; above 80 sounds patronising for adult readers.
Not a direct ranking factor
Google has been clear: readability isn't a ranking factor by itself. But readable content correlates with dwell time, return visits and conversions — and those engagement signals do feed ranking indirectly. Pair this with the keyword density analyser to catch over-optimisation. The wider context is in Flesch reading score: when it matters.
Quick wins for higher scores
- Break long sentences into shorter ones (aim 15–20 words).
- Swap multi-syllable jargon for plain alternatives (use → utilise, get → obtain).
- Cut filler phrases (in order to, due to the fact that).
- Use the active voice — shorter and more direct than the passive.
FAQ
What Flesch score should I aim for?
For general-audience content, 60-70 (plain English, 8th-grade level). Technical or legal content can sit at 30-50. Below 30 is unreadable for most users; above 80 sounds patronising for adult content.
Does Google use readability as a ranking factor?
Not directly. But readable content correlates with engagement metrics (dwell time, return visits, conversions) - and those signals do feed ranking indirectly. Plain English wins.
How is the score calculated?
Flesch Reading Ease = 206.835 minus 1.015 x (words/sentences) minus 84.6 x (syllables/words). Shorter sentences and shorter words give higher scores. The grade level variant maps the same inputs to US school grades.