How WPM Is Calculated (and What Accuracy Means)
WPM (words per minute) = (correct characters ÷ 5) ÷ minutes. Typing tests treat every 5 characters, including spaces, as one word so that long and short words count fairly. If you type 200 correct characters in 1 minute, your speed is 200 ÷ 5 ÷ 1 = 40 WPM.
Why a word is 5 characters
Real words have different lengths. Counting "a" and "keyboard" as one word each would make speed depend on the text. The 5-character word is a standard unit, so a 1-minute test on any text gives a comparable number.
Accuracy
Accuracy = correct characters ÷ characters typed. If you typed 210 characters and 200 were correct, accuracy is 200 ÷ 210 ≈ 95%. Accuracy matters as much as speed: every mistake costs a correction in real typing.
CPM
Characters per minute is the raw count before dividing by 5. 200 correct characters in a minute is 200 CPM, or 40 WPM.
Gross vs net WPM
Some tests count every character you type (gross WPM) and then subtract a penalty for errors (net WPM). Counting only correct characters, as Keydrill does, gives one number that already reflects mistakes.
Worked examples
- 2-minute test, 480 correct characters: 480 ÷ 5 ÷ 2 = 48 WPM
- 5-minute test, 1,250 correct characters: 1,250 ÷ 5 ÷ 5 = 50 WPM
- 30 seconds, 150 correct characters: 150 ÷ 5 ÷ 0.5 = 60 WPM
See it in the app
Keydrill runs 1, 2 or 5-minute tests or untimed practice, shows WPM, accuracy, CPM, mistakes and time on the result card, and saves every session so you can see your WPM and accuracy over 7 or 30 days. It works offline with no account.
FAQ
What is a good typing speed?
Around 40 WPM is typical for everyday typing, 60 WPM and up is fast, and many office and data entry jobs ask for roughly 35 to 50 WPM with high accuracy.
Do spaces count in WPM?
Yes. A space is a character you type, so correctly typed spaces count toward the characters that are divided by 5.
Why does my WPM differ between typing tests?
Tests differ in whether they count mistakes, whether they subtract errors, how long they run and how hard the text is. Compare results only within the same test.