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Check Text Readability Instantly

Paste any text and get Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, SMOG, and 5 more readability scores in seconds. Free forever.

📊 8 Formulas⚡ Instant Results🎓 Free Forever
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What is Readability?

Readability is simply how easy it is to understand a piece of writing. It shows us whether a text is easy or hard to read for its intended audience.

Cathoven's Free Readability Tool

Think of our readability score checker as a friendly guide. It helps users find out how readable a text is. It uses special formulas to give a score, showing if a text is just right, too hard, or too easy for the intended readers. The checker is like a GPS for writers, pointing out if a text needs to be made more reader-friendly.

AND it's free forever!

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Who is it For?

Whether you write, edit, teach, or create content — readability matters.

For Writers

Ensure your articles, blog posts, and books match your target audience. Get specific grade-level scores so you know exactly where you stand.

For Editors

Quickly assess document readability before publication. Identify sections that need simplification and verify compliance with style guides.

For Teachers

Match reading materials to student grade levels. Verify that worksheets, handouts, and tests are appropriate for your class.

For Content Creators

Optimize marketing copy, landing pages, and emails for maximum engagement. Lower readability scores often mean higher conversion rates.

8 Readability Formulas

Get a complete picture of your text's difficulty with every major readability metric.

Flesch Reading Ease

Also known as: Flesch Score

Scores 0-100 based on sentence length and syllable count. Higher scores mean easier reading. Most widely used readability metric.

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level

Also known as: Flesch-Kincaid Grade

Uses sentence length and syllable count per word to estimate the education level needed to understand a piece of text. A score of 8.0 means an 8th grader can understand the text.

Gunning Fog Index

Also known as: Fog Index / Fog Score

Takes into account sentence length and the number of complex words to calculate a score, suggesting the level of education required to understand the content. Ideal score for public writing: 7-8.

SMOG Index

Also known as: Simple Measure of Gobbledygook

Calculates a score using the number of complex words in a text, indicating the years of education required for comprehension. Particularly accurate for healthcare and technical documents.

Dale-Chall

Also known as: Dale-Chall Readability Score / Dale-Chall Readability Index

Measures readability by focusing on a list of common words to evaluate how easily a text can be understood. Words outside the list increase difficulty. Best for educational content.

Automated Readability Index (ARI)

Also known as: ARI Index / ARI Score

Focuses on sentence length and character count per word to estimate the education level needed to understand a text. Faster to compute than syllable-based formulas.

Coleman-Liau Index

Also known as: CLI Index / CLI Score

Uses sentence length and character count per word to estimate readability. Does not require syllable counting, making it reliable for short texts.

Linsear Write

Uses sentence length and the number of difficult words to estimate the education level needed to comprehend a text. Developed for the U.S. Air Force, classifying words as easy or hard.

Unique Consensus Score

Unlike tools that show only one formula, Cathoven combines all 8 metrics into a single Readability Consensus score — giving you the most accurate, balanced assessment of your text's difficulty.

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How to Use

Three simple steps to check your text's readability.

1

Paste Your Text

Go to Cathoven Language Hub and paste any English text into the Readability Analyser.

2

Click Analyse

Hit the Analyse button. Results appear instantly — no waiting, no sign-up required.

3

Review Your Scores

See grade levels from 8 different formulas plus the unique Consensus Score. Download or adjust your text.

Readability Checker interface showing 8 readability scores

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between readability scores and Catile?
Readability formulas like Flesch-Kincaid use simple calculations based on sentence length and syllable count. Catile uses AI and Natural Language Processing for deeper analysis. For a quick rule-of-thumb check, readability scores work well. For more accurate text difficulty assessment, use Catile.
What readability scores does this tool provide?
The Readability Checker calculates Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease, Gunning Fog Index, SMOG, Dale-Chall, Automated Readability Index, Coleman-Liau Index, Linsear Write, and McAlpine EFLAW. It also provides a unique Consensus Score combining all formulas.
Who should use a readability checker?
Writers, editors, teachers, and content creators use readability checkers to ensure their text matches their audience's reading level. It is especially useful for educational content, marketing copy, and technical documentation.
Is the Readability Checker free?
Yes. The Readability Checker is free forever with no sign-up required. Paste any text and get instant readability scores across all 8 formulas.
What is a good readability score?
It depends on your audience. For general public writing, aim for 6th to 8th grade level (Flesch Reading Ease 60-70). For academic papers, 12th grade+ is normal. For children's content, target the specific grade level of your readers.

Check Your Text Readability Now

Free forever. No sign-up required. Instant results across 8 readability formulas.

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