Calculate words per minute using the standard five-character word convention.
Formula: correct characters divided by 5, then divided by elapsed minutes. Raw WPM uses all typed characters before subtracting errors.
WPMTest guide
The calculation uses the industry-standard convention that five characters, including spaces, equal one “word,” regardless of the actual words in the text — this keeps scores comparable across different pieces of text, since counting real words would unfairly reward short, simple-word passages. Gross WPM counts character inputs. WPMTest’s net WPM subtracts current incorrect characters before dividing by five and elapsed minutes. Other providers may use different penalties.
Worked example: 1,500 correct characters typed in 5 minutes = (1,500 ÷ 5) ÷ 5 = 60 gross WPM. If 30 of those characters were errors, net WPM drops to roughly 54, depending on the exact penalty formula used.
For a live, timed measurement instead of a manual calculation, use the typing test directly — it calculates gross and net WPM automatically along with accuracy and a weak-key breakdown.
It standardizes scoring across texts of different difficulty — “cat” and “extraordinary” would otherwise count as equally fast.
Gross counts all keystrokes; net subtracts errors and is the number most certifications and job postings mean by “WPM.”
Continue with Free Typing Test, Average Typing Speed, or 5 Minute Typing Test to compare related typing skills and results.