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WPM and CPM: two ways of saying the same speed
WPM (words per minute) — the number of words you type in one minute. CPM is the number of characters per minute. Both numbers describe one and the same thing.
But there is a nuance: words differ a lot. “I” is one letter, “internationalization” is twenty. To compare results fairly, the typing world agreed to treat any 5 characters, spaces and punctuation included, as one “word”.
That makes converting one into the other very simple:
WPM = CPM ÷ 5
For example, 200 CPM is 40 WPM.
That is why your Ratatype test results show CPM for English-language texts and WPM — the international standard that employers understand in any country.
How speed is counted: examples from real life
Example 1. A message to a colleague
You wrote a long message in the work chat about a deadline being moved — 420 characters. It took you a minute and a half.
- 420 ÷ 1.5 = 280 CPM
- 280 ÷ 5 = 56 WPM
Not bad! But in real life you also think about the wording, so your true “mechanical” speed is most likely even higher.
Example 2. A one-minute test
You take a test and type 230 characters in a minute, 7 of them with mistakes.
- Speed: 230 ÷ 5 = 46 WPM
- Accuracy: 223 correct characters out of 230 = 97%
Two numbers worth reading together
After a test on Ratatype you see two results: speed and accuracy. They are shown separately, and that is convenient, because it makes clear what exactly is worth training.
Look at these two results:
- Emma: 46 WPM, 97% accuracy
- Jake: 52 WPM, 88% accuracy
It would seem that Jake is faster. But every tenth character he types is wrong. In a real email or report he will have to stop and correct himself all the time, so in practice Emma will most likely finish the work first. And Jake should not push for more speed — he should slow down and bring his accuracy up.
Accuracy — the invisible multiplier of speed
Every mistake costs more than it seems. To fix it you have to notice the typo, press Backspace (sometimes several times), type the correct letter and get back into the rhythm. One wrong key turns into three or four extra actions and a one-second pause.
For comparison: a person who types 50 WPM with 90% accuracy often turns out to be slower in real work than someone who types 40 WPM with 98% accuracy. The first one keeps going back, the second one simply moves forward.
Mistakes also have an unpleasant habit of sticking. If you type “the” as “teh” ten times in a row, your fingers memorize exactly that movement. That is why the rule we repeat in every lesson of the tutor sounds like this: accuracy first — speed second.
What counts as a good typing speed
We analyzed more than 506,000 tests on Ratatype, and here is how the users were distributed:
| CPM level | WPM | Share of people | |
| “Hunt and peck” | up to 100 | up to 20 | 15% |
| Beginner | 100–150 | 20–30 | 27.5% |
| Intermediate level | 150–200 | 30–40 | 25.1% |
| Confident level | 200–250 | 40–50 | 16.1% |
| Pro | 250–300 | 50–60 | 9.1% |
| Master | 300–350 | 60–70 | 6.1% |
| Legend | 350–400 | 70–80 | 1.1% |
The median is 30–40 WPM. So if your result is above 40 WPM, you already type faster than most people. And at 60 WPM you enter the top 5% — where programmers, journalists and translators usually “live”.
The fastest typist in history is considered to be Stella Pajunas, who in 1946 reached 216 WPM on an electric typewriter. About 18 characters per second — just try to imagine that.
More about every level — in our article “What typing speed is considered good? Real data from 506,000 tests”.
How to improve accuracy with games
Training accuracy on the same exercises gets boring. The brain quickly gets used to the monotony, attention drifts, and the same mistakes appear. That is exactly why we created typing games.
Ratashooter: every word is a shot
In Ratashooter you “shoot down” words by typing them correctly. Every accurately typed word is a hit and points on your score. Make a mistake — and the word flies on. The levels get harder step by step, and bonus words call for a quick reaction.
How does the game help accuracy? It teaches you to look at the screen instead of the keyboard, and it trains your brain to accept that rushing without accuracy gives no result. Want the mega explosion — type cleanly.
Ratarace: every correct key is a step forward
In Ratarace you compete against Ratatype characters that adjust to your speed. Every correct keystroke moves your character forward. So every typo is literally a lost meter of the track.
This format shows clearly how speed and accuracy work together: the winner is not the one who hits the keys fastest, but the one who types steadily and without mistakes.
Tip: if you keep losing at the finish line in Ratarace — slow down by 10–15% and focus on accuracy. More often than not, that is exactly what gives you the breakthrough.
You can play for free from a computer, a laptop or a tablet with a keyboard — no registration and no extra software.
Where to start today
- Find your starting point. Take the typing speed test and pay attention to both numbers — speed and accuracy.
- Master touch typing. If you are still looking for letters with your eyes, start with the lessons in the Ratatype tutor. The hands on the screen will show you in real time which finger to press each key with.
- Practice 10–15 minutes every day. Short regular sessions work better than an hour once a week: muscle memory is built through repetition.
- Add a game. When you feel your attention dropping, switch to Ratashooter or Ratarace — it is the same practice, only more fun.
- Check your progress once a week. And do not look at WPM alone: if your speed went up but your accuracy went down — that is a signal to slow down.
When you reach a result worth showing off, get a typing speed certificate — you can add it to your résumé or your LinkedIn profile.
So, ready to find out your WPM?
