Speed converterTyping speed: WPM, CPM and characters per hour
What it converts
Words per minute, characters per minute and characters per hour, in any direction, on the standard five-character word. The formulas and a conversion table are below.
The formulas
A "word" is five characters, spaces and punctuation included: the standard that makes speeds comparable across texts with short and long words.
WPM to CPM
WPM × 5
CPM to WPM
CPM ÷ 5
CPM to characters per hour
CPM × 60
WPM to characters per hour
WPM × 300
Converting keeps the kind of speed you start with: a gross (raw) speed stays gross, a net or corrected one stays net. They differ because they count different characters; see how WPM is calculated.
Conversion table
Every row is computed with the formulas above. It converts units; it is not a list of benchmarks.
| Words per minute | Characters per minute | Characters per hour |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 100 | 6,000 |
| 30 | 150 | 9,000 |
| 40 | 200 | 12,000 |
| 50 | 250 | 15,000 |
| 60 | 300 | 18,000 |
| 70 | 350 | 21,000 |
| 80 | 400 | 24,000 |
| 90 | 450 | 27,000 |
| 100 | 500 | 30,000 |
| 120 | 600 | 36,000 |
| 150 | 750 | 45,000 |
Measure it instead
To find your own speed, take a test: TypeTrance's typing test reports words per minute, accuracy and consistency, and explains every number on the methodology page.
Race Grand Prix now
The official one-minute format on the 1,000 most common English words. No account needed: the run is saved on this device.
Race Sprint now
The official 15-second format on the 1,000 most common English words. No account needed: the run is saved on this device.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert WPM to CPM?
Multiply by five. Speed tests count a word as five characters, spaces and punctuation included, so 60 WPM is 300 characters per minute. To go back, divide characters per minute by five.
How many characters per hour is 60 WPM?
18,000. Characters per hour is characters per minute times 60, which is WPM times 300.
Is characters per hour the same as keystrokes per hour (KPH)?
Not quite. Keystrokes per hour counts key presses, which depending on the test can include Shift, Enter and the keys that fix mistakes; characters per hour counts the characters that end up in the text. The two match only when every key press produces exactly one character, so read this converter's per-hour figure as characters per hour.
Why does a test report a different WPM for the same typing?
Because tests count different characters. Gross (raw) WPM counts everything typed, net WPM subtracts the errors left in the text, and TypeTrance credits only words typed exactly right. Converting never changes which kind you have: a gross CPM gives a gross WPM.