Content · Clarity
LinkedIn Readability Checker
Score and improve your post's clarity with real-time analysis — 6 LinkedIn categories, Flesch scores, inline highlights for long sentences, complex words, and passive voice, plus plain-word swaps. Free, no login required.
- Live Score
- Flesch Scores
- Inline Highlights
- Plain-Word Swaps
- Passive Voice
- Autosave
Readability Checker
Analyzes as you type · autosaved
What's New in the Readability Checker (2026 Upgrade)
Inline highlights
Long sentences shaded, complex words underlined, passive voice highlighted — all in your text.
Flesch scores
Standard Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level alongside the LinkedIn score.
Plain-word swaps
50+ wordy phrases with simpler alternatives — utilize → use, in order to → to.
Smarter passive check
Fewer false alarms — 'is often' and 'was excited' no longer count as passive.
Prioritized tips
High, medium, and low priority, so you fix what matters first.
8 text stats
Words, sentences, paragraphs, averages, long sentences, and reading time.
Autosave
Your text stays when you come back.
Optional AI rewrite
Suggest a clearer version with your own AI key.
Readability by the Numbers
- LinkedIn readability categories, 100 points
- 6
- Flesch Reading Ease = plain English
- 60–70
- A comfortable grade level for social posts
- 6–9
- Words per sentence — the green zone
- <15
- Wordy phrases with plain swaps
- 50+
- Things highlighted: length, complex words, passive
- 3
- Year the Flesch Reading Ease formula was published
- 1948
- Sign-ups needed
- 0
How to Use the Readability Checker
- 01
Paste Your Post
Type or paste your LinkedIn post. The analysis runs in real-time as you write — no button needed. Edit and watch your score improve live.
- 02
Review the Breakdown
Your post is scored across 6 categories: Sentence Length, Word Simplicity, Structure, Active Voice, Post Length, and Scannability — plus Flesch Reading Ease and grade level.
- 03
Fix Problem Sentences
The Highlights tab shades every sentence by length and marks complex words and passive voice. The Tips and Word swaps tabs give prioritized, specific fixes to raise your score.
The 6 Scoring Categories Explained
Sentence Length
20 ptsMeasures average words per sentence. LinkedIn readers scan on their phones — sentences over 20 words are harder to follow. The sweet spot is 10-15 words per sentence.
Word Simplicity
20 ptsCounts complex words (3+ syllables). Plain language is faster to read. Replace 'utilize' with 'use', 'implement' with 'do', 'facilitate' with 'help'.
Structure
20 ptsChecks paragraph breaks, bullet points, emojis, and line length. Well-structured posts get read; text walls get skipped. One idea per paragraph.
Active Voice
15 ptsDetects passive constructions like 'was done' or 'were created'. Active voice ('I did', 'we built') is more direct and easier to read.
Post Length
15 ptsEvaluates word count against a common LinkedIn range of 50-300 words. Short enough to respect attention spans, long enough to provide value.
Scannability
10 ptsAssesses line lengths, white space, and list usage. Posts that can be scanned quickly before the 'see more' tap are easier to engage with.
Flesch Reading Ease and Grade Level, Explained
Flesch Reading Ease (0-100)
206.835 − 1.015 × (words ÷ sentences) − 84.6 × (syllables ÷ words)
- 80+ — Easy
- 60-79 — Plain English
- 50-59 — Fairly difficult
- 30-49 — Difficult
- Below 30 — Very difficult
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level
0.39 × (words ÷ sentences) + 11.8 × (syllables ÷ words) − 15.59
The US school grade needed to follow the text. For LinkedIn posts, grade 6-9 is comfortable for almost everyone. Both formulas only look at sentence and word length — that's why the LinkedIn score also checks structure, voice, and scannability.
Syllables are counted with a standard approximation, so scores can differ slightly from other tools.
Why Readability Matters on LinkedIn
Most reading happens on phones
Many LinkedIn members read on mobile. Dense text looks even denser on a small screen — short sentences and white space make it readable.
You have seconds to earn “see more”
If your opening lines are hard to read, people scroll past before they get to your point.
Plain words travel further
Clear writing is easier to understand for non-native speakers, busy readers, and people outside your field.
Structure invites replies
Short paragraphs and lists make it easy to react to one specific point — which is what comments are.
Quick Wins to Improve Readability
Before
“I wanted to share with you some of the key insights that I have learned over the course of my career about the importance of effective communication.”
After
“Here are 3 communication lessons from my career:”
27 words → 8 words. Same meaning, much easier to read.
Before
“It is important that we understand that the implementation of new strategies should be facilitated through collaborative approaches.”
After
“New strategies work best when teams collaborate.”
Removed passive voice, corporate jargon, and unnecessary words.
Before
“The utilization of data-driven methodologies in the optimization of business processes has been demonstrated to yield significant improvements in operational efficiency.”
After
“Data-driven teams get better results, faster.”
Academic language → conversational. 21 words → 6 words.
Before
“Having had the opportunity to work with numerous talented professionals throughout my extensive career, I have come to the realization that success is largely dependent upon one's ability to adapt.”
After
“After [X] years, I've learned one thing: adapt or fall behind.”
Vague → specific. 30 words → 11 words with more impact.
10 Rules for Readable LinkedIn Posts
- 1One idea per sentence
- 2Aim for 10-15 words per sentence on average
- 3Use the word your reader would use
- 4Prefer verbs to nouns: “decide”, not “make a decision”
- 5Write “we did X”, not “X was done”
- 6Cut filler: very, really, just, basically
- 7Put the main point first
- 8Break 3+ items into a list
- 9Leave a blank line between paragraphs
- 10Read it out loud before posting
Readability Checker vs Post Writer: When to Use Each
Readability Checker (This Tool)
- You have a finished post and want to improve it
- You need sentence-level analysis and highlighting
- You want to check passive voice and word complexity
- You want Flesch scores and plain-word swaps
- Best for: editing and polishing existing content
Post Writer
- You're writing a post from scratch
- You want frameworks, hooks, and formatting tools
- You need overall engagement scoring (not just readability)
- You want a LinkedIn preview and CTA templates
- Best for: composing new posts with live feedback
6 Readability Mistakes
Writing like a report
Write like you talk to a colleague — short and direct.
Chasing a perfect score
A technical audience can handle technical words. Aim for clear, not childish.
One giant paragraph
Break it up — one idea per paragraph.
Stacking qualifiers
“I think it might possibly be” → “It's likely”.
Nominalizations
“Make an improvement” → “improve”. “Conduct an analysis” → “analyze”.
Hiding who did what
Passive voice hides the actor. Name the person or team.
Who Should Use the Readability Checker?
Anyone posting on LinkedIn
Polish a draft before you publish.
Non-native English writers
Spot long sentences and formal words quickly.
Executives & experts
Turn report-style writing into posts people read.
Marketers & ghostwriters
Check client posts against a consistent standard.
Job seekers
Make your About and posts easy for recruiters to skim.
Teams & comms
Keep company updates clear and plain.
YouTube Tutorials: Clear Writing
- How to Write ClearlyPlain language basics
- Flesch Reading Ease ExplainedWhat the score measures
- Active vs Passive VoiceWhen and why to switch
- Writing for Mobile ReadersShort sentences and white space
- LinkedIn Post FormattingStructure people can scan
- Editing Your Own WritingCutting words without losing meaning
Guides on Plain Language
Pro Tips for Readable Posts
Fix the reds first
Splitting your longest sentences gives the biggest jump in score.
One swap at a time
Replace a formal word, then re-read the sentence — sometimes it needs a rewrite, not a swap.
Keep jargon your audience uses
“Kubernetes” is fine for engineers. Explain it for everyone else.
Read on your phone
If it feels long on a phone, it is.
Lead with verbs
“Ship weekly” beats “The shipping of updates on a weekly basis”.
Don't obsess over the number
The score is a guide. Your own read-through is the real test.
Frequently Asked Questions
What readability score should I aim for?
75+ (A grade) is excellent. 55-74 (B range) is good for most LinkedIn posts. Below 55, your post likely has long sentences, complex words, or a structure that's hard to scan.
How is this different from Flesch-Kincaid?
The main score is built for LinkedIn posts: it looks at structure, formatting, active voice, length, and scannability, which classic formulas don't cover. We also show the standard Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level next to it, so you get both views.
Does the analysis run automatically?
Yes — the score updates in real-time as you type or edit. No button click needed. Your text is also saved automatically.
What does the Highlights tab show?
Every sentence is shaded by length: no shade (under 15 words — great), yellow (15-20 — acceptable), orange (21-30 — too long), red (30+ — needs splitting). Complex words get a dotted underline, and passive phrases are highlighted in purple.
Is passive voice always bad?
Not always — but on LinkedIn, active voice is almost always clearer. 'We launched a new product' beats 'A new product was launched by us'. Active voice is shorter and more direct. Use passive when the action matters more than who did it.
Is this tool free?
Yes, completely free with no login required. Analyze unlimited posts with real-time scoring, highlights, word swaps, and prioritized tips.
What is the Flesch Reading Ease score?
A standard formula (from 1948) based on average sentence length and syllables per word. Higher is easier: 60-70 is plain English, 80+ is easy, below 50 is difficult. It's useful, but it doesn't know about line breaks, lists, or white space.
What is the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level?
It estimates the US school grade needed to understand the text. Around grade 6-9 is a good target for most social posts — not because readers can't handle more, but because simple text is faster to read on a phone.
What counts as a complex word?
Words with 3 or more syllables that aren't on our list of common words — like 'implementation' or 'collaborative'. Some complex words are unavoidable (job titles, technical terms); the goal is to avoid needless ones.
What are word swaps?
The tool checks your text against 50+ wordy or formal phrases and suggests plainer ones: utilize → use, facilitate → help, in order to → to, due to the fact that → because.
How accurate is the passive voice check?
It looks for patterns like 'was written' or 'are reviewed' and skips common false alarms like 'is often' or 'was excited'. It can still miss or over-flag some sentences, so treat it as a pointer, not a rule.
Does readability matter more than length?
They work together. A 300-word post that's easy to read is better than a 100-word post full of jargon. Use the Character Counter for limits and this tool for clarity.
Can AI help simplify my post?
Optionally. 'Improve with AI' uses your own key (connected in your account settings) to suggest a clearer version that keeps your facts and structure.
Does it work for languages other than English?
The syllable counting, word lists, and Flesch formulas are designed for English. Sentence length and structure checks still help in other languages, but treat the scores as rough.
Make Your Next Post Easy to Read
Scroll up, paste your post, and fix the highlighted sentences — your score updates as you type. It's 100% free.