How typing speed is measured

WPM, accuracy, and what the numbers actually mean.

WPM: words per minute

Typing speed is measured in words per minute, but a "word" here is not a real word. By long-standing convention, one word equals 5 characters, including spaces. So the formula is:

The 5-character convention exists so scores are comparable no matter which words appear in the test. A passage full of short words like "a" and "it" would otherwise inflate your score.

Gross vs. net WPM

Some tests report gross WPM: every character you typed, mistakes included, divided by 5 and by minutes. Others report net WPM, which counts only correct characters. Net is the stricter number, and it's the one KeyK shows you. If your gross and net scores are far apart, that's a sign to slow down and fix accuracy first.

Accuracy

Accuracy is simpler: correct keystrokes divided by total keystrokes, times 100. A 95% accuracy means 1 in 20 keystrokes was wrong. On KeyK, a mistyped word only counts as correct if every character matches, and the space after a word counts too.

What counts as a good score?

These are rough guides you'll see quoted across typing sites, not lab results. Treat them as landmarks, not grades:

• Around 40 WPM is the figure most often quoted as an average for everyday computer users.
• 60 WPM and up is solid. Most office work feels effortless at this speed.
• 80 WPM and up is fast by any common standard.
• 100 WPM and up is exceptional and usually the result of years of daily typing.

Two honest caveats. First, short tests flatter you: a 30-second burst is easier than sustaining the same pace for an hour. Second, real-world typing includes thinking, editing, and backspacing, so your "composing an email" speed will always trail your test speed. Both are normal.

Ready to get a number? Take the test. Want a better one? Read the tips.