Who needs a typing speed test—and why

Captain Ratatype · 19 Aug 26 · 3 min read · 1590 views

Do you type fast? Do you look at the keyboard while you type? Do you use two fingers or all ten? And when was the last time you actually typed something on a keyboard?

Hi, I'm Captain Ratatype, and today we're going to talk about speed typing.

The typing speed test — the first step to a valuable skill

People love to compete. They've even come up with a whole bunch of contests and special events for it: from the Eurovision Song Contest to international olympiads and championships. Who knows math best, who swims fastest, who grows the biggest zucchini in the garden, and so on.

We love to measure, compare, and evaluate everything. The same goes for digital skills and learning. Take you, for example — what's your Duolingo streak? Or your Snapchat streak? I think you get the idea.

And amid all this variety of competitions and contests, it's very easy to lose sight of the original goal — why we're doing a particular activity in the first place, and what benefit we actually get from it.

For example, if you can solve a Rubik's Cube quickly, your brain is likely quite well developed — specifically, in the ability to train automatic responses, recognize patterns quickly, and hold strong procedural memory. These skills help in programming, design, engineering, and even chess. So, by knowing how to solve a cube fast, you can not only impress your friends and colleagues but also gain a nontrivial and useful skill.

The same goes for speed typing. If you know how to type fast, it gives you several advantages at once:

you can quickly and clearly put your thoughts into writing. This skill is worth its weight in gold for every office worker, from a programmer to a procurement specialist. Wherever you need to stay responsive, pick up and develop ideas quickly, or answer client questions, fast typing will come in handy;
fast typing saves time. At Ratatype, we never tire of repeating that the skill of speed typing can save you up to 20 days a year that you'd otherwise spend hunting for the A or O key, instead of working and learning efficiently;
if you've ever seen someone who's truly mastered touch typing and types without looking at the keyboard, you know how impressive it looks. Their fingers simply fly across the keyboard, and the text appears on screen without underlines, mistakes, or typos.

In short, I don't wear my cape for nothing — fast typing is a superhero skill ;)

So why take the typing speed test in the first place?

You might ask me that, and I'll tell you: everything should start with the test. You take a 1-, 2-, or 5-minute typing speed test and find out your speed. If it's already great, you get a typing speed certificate, attach it to your resume or LinkedIn profile, and that's it. Everyone knows you're a typing master.

If not, come learn on our keyboard trainer, complete the course you've chosen, take the online typing speed test again, be amazed by your progress, and only then get your typing speed certificate.

Take the test

And then — start planning what to do with your 20 saved days.

By the way, you can practice not only with exercises but also with our keyboard games, Ratashooter and Ratarace. They help improve accuracy and avoid typos.