What the scores mean
The Flesch reading ease score runs from about 0 to 100: the higher, the easier the text is to read. It is worked out from two things only, the average number of words in a sentence and the average number of syllables in a word. A score of 60 to 70 is plain English that most adults and teenagers follow easily, 90 or more is very easy, and below 30 is difficult, university-level writing. The Flesch–Kincaid grade level turns the same two numbers into the US school grade a reader would need to understand the text. Most newspapers aim for grade 8 or lower, and instructions and web pages do best at grade 6 to 8.
How to improve your score
Shorten your longest sentences (they are listed so you can find them). Use short, common words where they say the same thing: “use” instead of “utilize”, “help” instead of “facilitate”. Break dense paragraphs in two. A lower reading level is not a sign of poor writing; it means more people can read it quickly. Technical terms may push your score down for good reason, so treat the number as a guide.
Questions
How accurate is it? The formulas are standard, but counting syllables in English by rule is only an estimate, and the tool may split a sentence wrongly after unusual abbreviations. Scores are best used to compare drafts of the same text. Does it work for other languages? The formulas were designed for English, so scores for other languages are not meaningful. Is my text stored? No, it stays in your browser. To see which words you use most, try the Word Frequency Counter.