Types of Typing Tests & Their Difficulty — A Neutral Guide

Before the detailed comparison, the load-bearing point. Choosing a test well comes down to two things:

• 1. Choose by purpose (checking speed vs. proof)

  If you just want to gauge your skill, a free speed check is plenty. If you need proof for a job or school, pick a certification-style test. The best test changes with your goal, so decide “why am I taking this?” first.

• 2. Measure your WPM before you take one

  Grade numbers and pass lines are meaningless without knowing where you stand. Measure one baseline WPM (= keystrokes ÷ 5) first, and you can judge whether any test is easy or hard for you.

This article won't assert specifics like external grade tiers or fees. Those get revised, and wrong information helps no one. Instead it focuses on each test's character and who it suits, plus how to gauge difficulty using your own WPM as the yardstick.

What people call a “typing test” splits into two broad types. They differ in purpose and character, so separating them first clears up a lot at once.

• Type A: free speed checks

  Play instantly in a browser and get a score (speed, accuracy, rank) on the spot. Easy to retry endlessly and great for tracking improvement. Some show an official “grade,” but they're fundamentally about gauging your own skill. e-typing and Sushida are the classics here.

• Type B: certification-style tests

  You take an exam and earn a pass/fail or a grade you can show to a third party on a résumé. Several tests measure Japanese typing skill. They carry proof value, but come with sign-ups, fees, and format rules. Official names, grade tiers, pass criteria, and costs get revised — always confirm the latest on each test's official source.

Here are the representative speed checks and tests, laid out so the differences in character show. Specifics like grades and pass lines change and are easy to get wrong, so they're deliberately omitted. Use type, character, and best-for to get a rough fix — confirm exact criteria on each official site.

e-typing is a free, browser-based speed check that scores you on the spot — a standard of the genre. For many people it was the first time they learned whether their typing was fast or slow; in that sense it's something of a veteran.

It's romaji-centric, and because results appear as scores and ranks, it's easy to use for tracking improvement. Across repeated attempts, you can follow how your score grows, point by point.

Exactly how those scores and ranks are defined may be revised, so this article won't assert it — check the official site for the latest. As an entry point for learning where you currently stand, it's well worth a try.

Sushida is a game-like typing experience themed on conveyor-belt sushi, letting you test your skill while having fun. You type the prompts that come by and compete over whether you “got your money's worth,” and your keystroke volume naturally climbs as you get absorbed.

It rarely feels like forced practice, which makes it excellent for sticking with. Alongside e-typing, it's one of the speed checks that has supported a lot of people's typing.

Here too, this article won't assert specifics like difficulty tiers or scoring criteria. Confirm the rules and latest spec on the official site. It's a perfect entry point for anyone who'd rather just enjoy typing before worrying about test numbers.

For people who need “proof,” there are certification-style typing tests where you take an exam and earn a grade or pass/fail. They measure Japanese typing skill, and the big difference from speed checks is that passing lets you show it to a third party on a résumé.

However, official names, grade tiers, pass criteria, fees, and formats differ by test — and they can be revised. This article deliberately won't assert those specifics, to avoid you building an exam plan on wrong information.

So if you're considering a certification-style test, always confirm the latest requirements on each test's official site. From there, using your own WPM as a baseline (see below) makes it easier to gauge which grade is realistic for you right now.

A test's “grade” or “pass line” uses different criteria from test to test, so comparing difficulty side by side isn't simple. That's where your own WPM — a shared yardstick — helps. WPM is words per minute; as a rule of thumb, WPM = keystrokes per minute ÷ 5 (5 strokes ≈ 1 word) is enough.

Holding one baseline WPM lets you judge, relatively, whether any test is easy or hard for you. More than the grade number itself, “where you are now and where you're aiming” is what actually helps you improve.

To see whether your current speed sits at beginner, general, advanced, or pro level, compare against the benchmarks in WPM Average & Benchmarks. Rather than being pulled around by test numbers, watching how your own WPM grows is the most honest, sustainable metric in the end.

With all that in mind, here's how to choose by purpose. If you're unsure, pick the closest match from the top.

• Speed check (know your current speed)

  A free speed check (e-typing, Sushida, etc.) is plenty. Start by measuring one baseline WPM to learn where you stand. You can retry as often as you like.

• Learning (get faster / improve)

  Chasing “the growth of numbers measured under the same conditions” beats chasing pass/fail. Combine baseline-friendly measuring with weak-key practice. For the exact order, see How to Get Faster at Typing.

• Job / school (proof required)

  Consider a certification-style test. But grade tiers, criteria, and fees get revised, so always confirm the latest officially. Knowing your WPM before the exam helps you set a realistic target grade.

For how to choose a free practice site or game itself, see Best Free Typing Games 2026. Use it to pick a practice ground around your test.

Whichever test or speed check you pick, the order for raising your score is the same: build the foundation → speed → accuracy, then crush weaknesses with weak-key practice.

1. 01.1. Foundation: lock in home position and typing without looking
2. 02.2. Speed: measure WPM under the same conditions and raise it gradually
3. 03.3. Accuracy: cut mistakes and the time lost to corrections
4. 04.4. Weak spots: target stalling keys and weak fingers specifically

Typing Musou itself isn't a “test” — it's a place for matches and practice. But it pairs well as a practice ground for test prep. Speed Trial measures WPM reliably under fixed conditions with 20 words, and shows your weak keys (most-missed keys) afterward, so the next weakness to fix is clear. Checking your current standing and weak spots here before the real exam is reassuring.

• Q. Which typing test is the hardest?

  Because criteria differ by test, there's no blanket “this one is hardest.” Specifics like grades and pass lines also get revised, so this article won't assert them. Practically, gauge difficulty by your own WPM (keystrokes ÷ 5) — whether a test is easy or hard for you. Confirm each test's latest criteria on its official site.

• Q. Can I take a typing test for free?

  It depends on the type. Speed checks like e-typing and Sushida are free, play instantly in a browser, and score you on the spot. Certification-style tests usable on a résumé may require a fee and sign-up. Costs and formats can be revised, so always confirm each test's official information.

• Q. Which test is useful for getting a job?

  If you need third-party “proof,” certification-style tests that grant a grade or pass/fail are candidates. This article won't assert official names, tiers, or criteria (they get revised). When considering an exam, confirm the official requirements, and knowing your WPM lets you set a realistic target grade.

• Q. What WPM do I need for a test?

  It varies by the test and grade you target, so there's no single right answer. What matters is measuring one baseline WPM first. With a baseline, every test shows you “how much more to grow.” See how your speed compares to the average in WPM Average & Benchmarks.

• Q. Can I prep for a test with Typing Musou?

  Typing Musou isn't a test itself, but it works as a practice ground for test prep. Speed Trial measures WPM reliably under fixed conditions with 20 words and shows your weak keys afterward, which suits weakness-crushing practice. Completely free, browser-based, no login — measure as often as you like.

Typing tests split into free speed checks and résumé-usable certification-style tests. Rather than ranking which is hardest side by side, hold one shared yardstick — your WPM (keystrokes ÷ 5) — and choose by purpose (checking speed vs. proof). Specifics like grade tiers and fees get revised, so always confirm the latest on each test's official site.

Both e-typing and Sushida are dependable veterans that have trained a lot of people's typing. Make the most of each, and rather than being pulled around by test numbers, watch how your own WPM grows. Start today by measuring one baseline WPM in Speed Trial.