Score readability with 4 algorithms: Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, Coleman-Liau, and ARI. Grade level + interpretation.
Paste Markdown to score its reading level.
Free Markdown Reading Level Scorer calculates four readability formulas -- Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, Coleman-Liau, and ARI -- and returns an average grade level with a plain-English interpretation. Markdown syntax and code blocks are stripped before analysis so only your prose is measured.
Privacy: This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your text is never uploaded, logged, or cached. Close the tab and it's gone. Verify in DevTools → Network: zero requests fire.
Readability scoring helps writers reach the right audience. It should not require a paid tool or account. The scorer runs 100% client-side.
| Input | Output | Typical size | Speed | Login needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Markdown (.md) | Readability scores + stats | Any document size | < 10 ms | No |
Here's what this free tool does in detail — every feature is built to solve real problems, runs entirely in your browser, and is free forever.
The scorer runs Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog Index, Coleman-Liau Index, and Automated Readability Index on your text. Each formula uses a different approach (syllables, complex words, character counts) so the average is more reliable than any single score.
For a broader document overview, try the Markdown Document Statistics dashboard.
The tool maps the average score to a plain-English label: very easy (grade < 6), easy (6-8), moderate (9-11), difficult (12-15), or very difficult (16+). This tells you at a glance whether your content matches your target audience.
Below the scores you get word count, sentence count, syllable count, complex word count, average word length, and average sentence length. These metrics help you pinpoint why a score is high or low.
For full word-count analytics, see the Markdown Word Counter.
Headers, links, images, code blocks, and inline formatting are stripped before analysis. You measure prose readability, not markup noise. This makes the scores accurate for any Markdown document.
Paste any Markdown document into the input, or click Load example.
Four readability scores, an average grade level, and an interpretation appear instantly.
Click Copy report for a plaintext summary to share with editors or stakeholders.
Check that posts stay at grade 6-8 for maximum readership.
Compare scores before and after editing to measure readability improvement.
Ensure lesson content matches the reading level of students.
Score every page to find content that is too dense for the target audience.
Use the grade level as a benchmark to keep writing accessible.
Yes. Free forever, no account required.
Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, Coleman-Liau, and Automated Readability Index.
General audiences: 6-8. Blogs: 8-10. Academic or technical: 12+.
Yes. Markdown and code blocks are stripped before analysis.
A word with 3+ syllables. Used by the Gunning Fog formula.
No. Runs 100% in your browser.