Monkeytype Explained: How to Use the Industry-Standard Tool
- Monkeytype is the most customisable free typing test platform — word lists, themes, caret styles, and more.
- It uses net WPM by default, making scores directly comparable to professional assessments.
- The competitive typing community uses it as a shared benchmark, which makes scores meaningful.
- Its detailed result graphs help identify consistency problems that simple WPM scores hide.
- Cross-referencing your Monkeytype score with a 1-minute test on this site confirms whether your baseline is consistent.
Why Monkeytype Became the Community Standard
Monkeytype started as a simple open-source project and grew into the default benchmark for competitive typists because it got two things right: it uses honest net WPM scoring, and it lets users customise everything without hiding features behind a paywall. The competitive typing community agreed on it as a shared standard, which means a score on Monkeytype is understood by anyone who types seriously.
If you say you hit 100 WPM on a random website, that's hard to interpret. If you say you hit 100 WPM on Monkeytype or TypingTest.now in a standard 1-minute test, other typists know exactly what that means.
Key Features and What They Do
| Feature | What it does | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Word mode / Quote mode / Custom mode | Changes the type of text | Different text types stress different skills |
| Time mode / Word count mode | Changes how the test ends | Time mode = WPM; word count mode = pace |
| Punctuation toggle | Adds commas, periods, etc. | Makes the test harder, more realistic |
| Numbers toggle | Inserts numerals into the text | Tests number row fluency |
| Blindfolded mode | Hides typed characters | Forces touch typing, removes visual feedback |
| Detailed results graph | Shows WPM per second through the test | Reveals where your speed drops |
How to Read Monkeytype Results
The results screen after each test shows your raw WPM, net WPM (called "acc" combined with "wpm"), accuracy percentage, and a graph of your speed over time. The graph is the most useful part. A flat line means consistent output. A declining line in the second half means stamina is your bottleneck. A jagged line means accuracy problems are interrupting your rhythm.
If your graph shows consistent drop-off after the 30-second mark, shift your practice to the 5-minute test to build stamina. If it's jagged, the accuracy test is the right tool.
Monkeytype vs TypingTest.now
Both platforms use net WPM. The main differences are in purpose and depth. Monkeytype excels at customisation and community comparison. TypingTest.now offers more test format variety, career-focused formats (like the accuracy test and coding test), and a global leaderboard. Many serious typists use both: Monkeytype for daily practice and community comparison, TypingTest.now for format-specific preparation and career readiness.
| Feature | Monkeytype | TypingTest.now |
|---|---|---|
| Scoring method | Net WPM | Net WPM |
| Customisation | Extensive | Moderate |
| Test format variety | Moderate | 32 formats |
| Career assessment focus | Low | High |
| Coding test | No | Yes |
| Community leaderboard | Yes | Yes |
Getting the Most from Monkeytype
Start in time mode with a 1-minute test using the default word list. This gives you a clean baseline. Once your baseline is stable, enable punctuation to add commas and periods, which most real-world typing includes. After that, try custom quote mode using text from your actual work to build job-specific fluency.
Use the results graph after each session, not just the final WPM number. Two sessions at the same WPM can look very different on the graph, and the graph tells you more about what to fix next. For more on interpreting your score, see how to interpret typing test results. For the WPM calculation method both platforms use, see how WPM is calculated.
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