Free cognitive benchmarks
Human Benchmark Test
Free human benchmark tests for reaction time, memory, aim, typing and click speed. A score in under a minute, no sign up.
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Most people land between 250 and 300 ms.Full test
The tests
- Reaction Time TestClick the moment the screen turns green. Five tries, one average.Visual reflexes250 to 300 ms
- Sequence Memory TestWatch the tiles light up, then repeat the pattern as it grows.Pattern recall6 to 9 steps
- Aim TrainerHit 30 targets as fast as you can and see your time per target.Hand-eye coordination450 to 620 ms
- Number Memory TestMemorize a number that gains one digit every round.Digit span7 to 8 digits
- Verbal Memory TestSeen it or new? Track every word for as long as you can.Word recognition25 to 45 words
- Chimp TestTap the numbers in order after they hide. Chimps are very good at this.Working memory7 to 9 numbers
- Visual Memory TestRemember which squares flashed on a board that keeps growing.Spatial memory7 to 9 levels
- Typing TestType a short passage and get your words per minute and accuracy.Typing speed38 to 52 WPM
- CPS TestClick as fast as you can for five seconds and get your clicks per second.Click speed6 to 8 CPS
What is a human benchmark test?
A human benchmark test is a short, repeatable task that turns one mental or physical skill into a number. How fast do you respond when a light changes? How many digits can you hold in your head? How quickly can you put a cursor on a target? Each test isolates a single ability, measures it the same way every time and gives you a score.
The idea comes from experimental psychology. Reaction timing, digit span and block tapping tasks have been used in labs for more than a century because they are simple, quick and hard to fake. The human benchmark tests on this site keep that structure and add what a lab sheet cannot: instant scoring, a history of your attempts and a plain guide to what the number means.
What the tests cover
Speed. The reaction time test measures the delay between seeing and responding. The aim trainer adds movement, and the typing test measures a practised motor skill in words per minute. The CPS test counts how many times you can click in five seconds.
Memory. The number memory test and the verbal memory test use digits and words. The visual memory test, the sequence memory test and the chimp test use positions on a board, which draws on a separate, visual part of working memory. All five are listed together on the memory test page.
Human benchmark reaction time test
The reaction time test is the most popular human benchmark. Wait for the screen to change colour, click as fast as you can, and repeat five times. Your score is the average of the five tries, which is much fairer than a single lucky click. Early clicks do not count: click before the change and that try simply restarts.
Average reaction time and percentiles
Human Benchmark, the best known site for this kind of test, reports a median of 273 ms across its users. A median is the 50th percentile: half of all results are faster and half are slower. Because most people take the test on everyday phones and laptops, that figure is best read as a typical online score, slower than the 200 to 250 ms usually measured in laboratories with special equipment.
| Your average | Rating on this site | Against the 273 ms median |
|---|---|---|
| Under 200 ms | Exceptional | Far ahead |
| 200 to 229 ms | Fast | Well ahead |
| 230 to 259 ms | Above average | Ahead |
| 260 to 299 ms | Average | Around the median |
| 300 ms or more | Below average or slow | Behind, often because of the device |
For a deeper look at the numbers, read human benchmark reaction time and average reaction time.
Reaction time for gamers and pro gamers
Gamers usually score better, and competitive players on fast hardware often average under 200 ms. Practice is part of it: people who react to on screen events for hours a day become more consistent and better at staying ready. Hardware is the other part. A 240 Hz monitor shows a change sooner than a 60 Hz laptop screen, and a wired gaming mouse registers a click faster than a cheap wireless one. Before you compare your human benchmark reaction time with a pro player’s clip, compare the setups too.
Is there a world record?
There is no official world record for online reaction tests, because the same person can score tens of milliseconds differently on two devices. About 100 ms is treated as the floor for human reactions; athletics counts any start faster than that after the gun as a false start. Leaderboard scores far below 150 ms usually come from guessing the moment, not from reacting to it. See fastest reaction time for more.
Human benchmark typing test
The human benchmark typing test asks you to copy a short passage as quickly and accurately as you can. Speed is measured in words per minute, where five characters, including spaces, count as one word, and your final score is adjusted for accuracy so that fast but careless typing does not win. A large 2018 study from Aalto University collected typing data from 168,000 volunteers and found an average of 52 WPM. On this site, 38 to 51 WPM is the Average band, 70 WPM is fast and 90 WPM or more is exceptional. To improve, take the typing test a few times a week and use typing practice to work on accuracy first.
Human benchmark aim trainer
The aim trainer shows 30 targets one after another and measures your average time per target. It combines reaction time with the movement of your hand, so it is closer to what happens in a shooter game. An average of 500 to 619 ms per target is typical, and under 350 ms is exceptional. A mouse on a desk scores differently from a finger on a phone screen, so keep the same input when you compare attempts. Gamers who want a routine can try the FPS aim trainer.
Human benchmark chimp test and memory tests
The chimp test is based on a famous experiment in which young chimpanzees at Kyoto University recalled the positions of numbers after a brief look, sometimes faster than adult humans. You see numbers on a grid, click the 1, and the rest are hidden. Clear the board in order and the next one gets an extra number. Clearing 7 or 8 numbers is average, and 14 or more is exceptional.
The other memory tests stretch different skills. The number memory test is a classic digit span task, the verbal memory test checks how well you recognise words you have already seen, and the visual and sequence memory tests ask you to remember patterns and the order of flashing tiles. Together they give a broad picture of short term and working memory.
What the scores can and cannot tell you
Your human benchmark results are best read against your own history. They show whether you are getting faster, whether a memory technique is working and how today compares with last week. Every score is saved in your browser, and the dashboard shows your best and recent results for each test. They are also fun to compare with friends, as long as you use similar devices.
They are not a diagnosis and not an IQ score. A slow reaction time on a phone with a laggy screen says nothing about your health, and a short digit span on a distracted afternoon is not a verdict on your memory. Human Benchmark Tests is an independent site and is not affiliated with humanbenchmark.com.
How to get a score you can trust
Use the same device each time
A gaming monitor and a phone can differ by 50 ms on timing tests. Your history only means something when the hardware stays the same.
Take each test more than once
First runs are mostly about learning the rules. Your third or fourth attempt is a fairer picture, and the average matters more than one lucky best.
Test when you are alert
Tiredness slows reactions and shrinks working memory. A score at 2 am after a long day says more about the day than about you.
Close the distractions
Memory tests in particular fall apart when a notification pulls your attention for even a second. Full attention for one minute is all it takes.
More tools
Quick checks for your keyboard and mouse, typing games and other ways to play.
- Click speed testClicks per second, 5 seconds
- Spacebar counterSpace presses in 10 seconds
- Keyboard testCheck every key works
- Mouse testButtons, wheel and side buttons
- Double click testFind a worn mouse switch
- Typing gamesRace three cars by typing
- Typing practiceDaily practice with history
- Reading speed testWords per minute and recall
- F1 reaction testFive lights, then go
Your scores stay on your device
Every result is saved in your browser, not on a server. The dashboard shows your best, your average and your attempts for every test.
Common questions
What is the human benchmark test?
The human benchmark test is a set of short online tests that each measure one ability, such as reaction time, short term memory, aiming speed or typing speed. Each test gives you a number you can compare with typical results and with your own past attempts. The idea comes from tasks used in psychology labs for over a century, and the best known version is the one at humanbenchmark.com. This site offers its own independent versions of the same kind of tests.
What is the average reaction time on a human benchmark test?
Human Benchmark reports a median of 273 ms across its users, so half of all recorded results are faster and half are slower. On this site, an average between 260 and 299 ms falls in the Average band, and anything under 230 ms is faster than most people.
What are the human benchmark reaction time percentiles?
The 273 ms median is the 50th percentile. Roughly, an average under 230 ms puts you well ahead of the median, 230 to 299 ms is the normal range for an online test, and 300 ms or more is slower than most, often because of a slow screen or wireless mouse rather than slow reflexes.
What is the human benchmark reaction time average for gamers and pro gamers?
Competitive gamers on fast hardware often average under 200 ms, which is the Exceptional band on this site. Part of that gap is practice and part is equipment: a high refresh rate monitor and a wired, low latency mouse can save tens of milliseconds compared with an ordinary laptop.
Is there a human benchmark reaction time world record?
There is no official world record for online reaction tests, because results depend so much on the device. About 100 ms is treated as the floor for human reactions; athletics counts any start faster than that as a false start. Online scores far below it usually come from guessing the moment or from automated clicking.
How does the human benchmark typing test work?
You type a short passage and the test measures words per minute, counting five characters as one word, along with your accuracy. A 2018 Aalto University study of 168,000 volunteers found an average of 52 WPM; on this site 38 to 51 WPM is the Average band and 70 WPM or more is fast.
What is a good score on the human benchmark aim trainer and chimp test?
On the aim trainer, an average of 500 to 619 ms per target is typical and under 350 ms is exceptional. On the chimp test, clearing a board of 7 or 8 numbers is average and 14 or more is exceptional.
How do I reset my human benchmark scores?
On this site there is no account, so your scores live only in your browser. To reset one test, press Clear history in its score panel and tap again to confirm. To reset everything, open the dashboard and use Delete all saved scores, or clear this site's data in your browser settings. Scores saved on humanbenchmark.com belong to that site's own account and are managed there.
Can you cheat or hack the human benchmark test?
People do fake scores with autoclickers, scripts that watch the screen colour, or by clicking early and hoping the timing works out. A faked score only measures the tool, not you, and it makes your history useless for tracking real progress. On this site the wait before each signal is random and an early click restarts the try, so guessing does not help. Scores are saved only on your own device, so there is no public leaderboard to cheat on.
Are the tests free? Do I need an account?
Every test is free and there is no account at all. Your scores are saved in your own browser so you can see your history on the dashboard, and nothing is uploaded.
Is the human benchmark test accurate?
It is accurate enough to track your own progress and to compare with friends on similar devices, but it is not a lab instrument. The browser timer itself is precise to well under a millisecond. The bigger error comes from your hardware: screen refresh rate, mouse or touch delay and a busy computer can add tens of milliseconds to timing scores. Memory, typing and aim scores are affected far less. For the fairest picture, take each test several times on the same device and look at your average.
Which test should I start with?
The reaction time test. It takes about thirty seconds and needs no explanation. After that, the number memory test and the chimp test are the most popular memory challenges.
Do the tests work on a phone?
Yes. Every test is built for touch as well as mouse and keyboard. Timing scores from a phone and from a desktop are not directly comparable, so compare like with like.
Can these tests measure my IQ?
No. Each test measures a narrow skill. Working memory and processing speed are related to parts of IQ tests, but a good or bad score here is not an intelligence rating and is not a medical assessment of any kind.
Is this site connected to humanbenchmark.com?
No. Human Benchmark Tests is an independent project with its own tests, scoring guides and articles. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by humanbenchmark.com, and the name Human Benchmark is used here only to describe this type of test.