Why one minute is the standard
A one minute test is long enough to smooth out a lucky or unlucky start, and short enough to repeat a few times in a row. That's why most people quote their typing speed from a one minute test, and why it's the easiest format for comparing yourself with others or with your own earlier results.
For a fair picture, take the test three times and look at your average rather than your best run.
How your score is calculated
Typing speed is measured in words per minute (WPM). Because words have different lengths, the standard is to count every 5 characters as one word, including spaces. So 250 correct characters in one minute equals 50 WPM.
- WPM counts only words you typed correctly, plus the space after each one. Mistakes lower this number.
- Raw WPM counts every character you typed, right or wrong. The gap between raw and WPM shows how much your errors cost you.
- Accuracy is the share of your keystrokes that matched the text. Corrected mistakes still count as mistakes here.
Curious how your result compares? See what counts as a good typing speed.