Score how easy your writing is to read with the Flesch Reading Ease and grade level formulas, and see exactly which sentences are too long or use passive voice. Clear writing keeps visitors on the page, converts better and is easier for AI search tools to quote.
How to use the Readability Checker
- Paste the body text of your page, article or email into the box.
- Read the scores. Reading ease runs from 0 to 100, where higher is easier. Grade level shows the school year needed to follow the text.
- Look at the highlighted sentences. Orange marks long sentences over 25 words; blue marks possible passive voice.
- Edit the highlighted sentences, paste the new version and check that the score improves.
What the scores mean
- 70 to 100: easy to read. Good for most consumer websites and service pages.
- 60 to 70: plain English. A good target for blogs and business content.
- 50 to 60: fairly difficult. Acceptable for specialist or technical audiences.
- Below 50: difficult. Readers may skim or leave. Break up sentences and simplify words.
- Grade level: aim for about 7 to 9 for content written for the general public.
Why readability matters for rankings and AI answers
Search engines do not use a readability score as a direct ranking factor, but readers do decide quickly whether a page is worth their time. Clear pages keep visitors longer and turn more of them into leads. AI search tools also favour passages that make a complete point in plain language, because those are easy to lift into an answer. Short sentences, familiar words and active voice make your content easier for both people and machines to use.
Pros
- Flesch Reading Ease and grade level in real time
- Highlights long sentences and likely passive voice
- Shows the share of complex words
- Private: your text never leaves the browser
Cons
- Formulas count syllables and length, not meaning
- Passive voice detection is an estimate and can miss or over-flag
- Designed for English text
- Technical topics may need some complex words
Frequently asked questions
What is a good Flesch Reading Ease score?
For most websites, 60 or higher. Content for specialists can sit lower, but clearer is almost always better.
Is passive voice always wrong?
No. It is useful when the action matters more than who did it. Too much passive voice, though, makes writing slow and vague.
Will improving readability raise my rankings?
Not on its own. It improves how people engage with your page, which supports the goals rankings are meant to deliver: visits, trust and enquiries.
Want a full check of your site?
Our free SEO audit looks at every page, your speed, crawling and AI search visibility, then sends you a clear fix list.
Get a free SEO audit