How we measure your reading speed
Read-Fast is built to give you an honest number, not a flattering one. Here is exactly how the test works and where our benchmarks come from.
1
We count the words
Each passage has a known word count, verified against the exact text you read - no estimates.
2
We time you precisely
A timer starts when the passage appears and stops the instant you tap "Done reading". WPM = words / minutes.
3
We check you understood it
Five questions measure recall. Your real reading speed is the one you can read at while still understanding.
The benchmarks
Our comparison figures - an average adult pace of about 238 words per minute, with trained readers reaching 400-700 WPM - are drawn from published reading-rate and eye-tracking research rather than marketing claims. We deliberately avoid the inflated numbers (10,000+ WPM) you'll see elsewhere, because they don't survive a comprehension check.
Reading speed varies with material, fatigue and familiarity, so treat any single test as a snapshot. The most useful number is your trend over time - which is exactly what training is designed to move.
See your number
Take the free speed reading test →