Monkeytype Alternative: FastTypings vs Monkeytype (2026)
Last updated · by the FastTypings team
Monkeytype is the benchmark for solo typing tests: fast, minimal, open source, endlessly configurable, and with public leaderboards for its 15- and 60-second tests. If you want the most customisable test on the web, it is hard to beat.
FastTypings is built around a different idea — typing against someone. You get the same timed and word-count tests, plus bot opponents at 40, 70, and 100 WPM, live multiplayer races, a voice race mode, a daily challenge, and 22 fully localised languages, all free and without an account. Here is an honest side-by-side so you can pick the right tool, or use both.
FastTypings vs Monkeytype: Feature Comparison
| Feature | FastTypings | Monkeytype |
|---|---|---|
| Free to use | ||
| No signup required | ||
| Mobile-optimized | ||
| Languages | 22, fully localised | English UI; many word lists |
| Bot opponent | 40 / 70 / 100 WPM | pace caret only (no opponent) |
| Live multiplayer | ||
| Voice race mode | ||
| Global leaderboard |
Details for Monkeytype (monkeytype.com) reflect our understanding as of October 2026 and may have changed since. Spotted something wrong? Tell us via the about page and we'll fix it.
Why Choose FastTypings over Monkeytype?
- FastTypings puts a visible bot opponent on the track at three set paces (40, 70, and 100 WPM). Monkeytype's closest equivalent is its pace caret — a ghost cursor set to your personal best or a custom speed — which is excellent for pacing but is not a race.
- FastTypings supports 22 fully localised languages — interface and test text — including Arabic, Japanese, Korean, and Hindi. Monkeytype offers word lists in many languages, but the experience is built around English.
- FastTypings is built mobile-first with a dedicated soft-keyboard input. Monkeytype also runs in mobile browsers, but its layout and shortcuts are designed around a physical keyboard.
When Monkeytype Is the Better Choice
No comparison is honest if one side wins every row. Monkeytype has real strengths, and for some typists it is the better fit:
- You want granular control over the test itself. Monkeytype's time, words, quote, zen, and custom modes — plus word lists that scale from the top 200 up to 10,000 English words and paste-in custom text — make it the most configurable typing test on the web.
- You care about long-term analytics. A free Monkeytype account keeps per-mode personal bests, a consistency score, a raw-versus-net WPM breakdown after every test, and history graphs that go back years.
- You love theming. Monkeytype ships hundreds of community themes, custom fonts, caret styles, and keypress sound packs — it is the aesthetic favourite of the mechanical-keyboard community for a reason.
- You value open source. Monkeytype's code is public on GitHub and its direction is shaped by an active contributor community, which matters if you like auditing or extending the tools you use.
Switching from Monkeytype to FastTypings
The mode mapping is nearly one-to-one. Monkeytype's time 15 / 30 / 60 / 120 correspond exactly to FastTypings' 15, 30, 60, and 120-second tests, and words 25 / 50 / 100 map to the same word-count modes here. Both sites default to a stream of the most common English words with punctuation off, and both offer punctuation and numbers toggles — so your fingers will not notice the move.
What changes is what happens around the test. Instead of quote or zen mode, FastTypings gives you opponents: race a bot at Easy (40 WPM), Intermediate (70 WPM), or Hard (100 WPM), join a live multiplayer race against real people, or try voice race, where you speak the words instead of typing them. Results post to a global leaderboard without an account, and a daily streak counter replaces the history graph as your habit loop.
A practical first session: run a 30-second test to calibrate, then pick the bot tier just above your result — a 55 WPM typist should chase the 70 WPM Intermediate bot. If you practise in more than one language, the 22 localised versions keep the full feature set, not just a swapped word list.
Why Your WPM Differs Between FastTypings and Monkeytype
Scores transfer between these two sites more cleanly than almost any other pairing. Both compute net WPM the same way — correct characters ÷ 5, divided by elapsed minutes, with errors subtracted rather than ignored — and both default to a lowercase common-word stream without punctuation. Expect your 1-minute FastTypings score to land within a few WPM of your Monkeytype time 60 result.
The gaps appear at the edges. Monkeytype's quote mode adds capital letters and punctuation, which costs most typists 10–15% versus a plain word stream, and switching from the top-200 list to the 5k or 10k lists slows you further because rarer words break finger patterns. Likewise, enabling the punctuation or numbers toggle on either site drops scores by a similar margin. FastTypings race modes also block on error — a wrong key is ignored until you type the correct one — so race WPM reads slightly lower than test WPM. Compare like with like: word test to word test, punctuation on to punctuation on.
Full details of how FastTypings scores a test are on how we calculate WPM.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FastTypings better than Monkeytype?
FastTypings and Monkeytype have different strengths. Monkeytype offers highly customizable solo tests with many word-count modes. FastTypings adds bot racing at three speeds, live multiplayer, voice race mode, and native mobile support across 22 languages — all free with no signup.
Does FastTypings have a dark mode like Monkeytype?
Yes. FastTypings supports both light and dark themes and automatically respects your system preference.
Can I race other people on FastTypings?
Yes. FastTypings has live multiplayer races against real people and bot races at three speeds, all without creating an account. Monkeytype is a solo test, so this is one of the biggest differences between the two.
Which typing test is more accurate for WPM?
Both calculate WPM as (net characters typed ÷ 5) ÷ minutes elapsed, which is the standard formula. FastTypings also tracks accuracy in real time and penalises uncorrected errors.
Does FastTypings work on mobile?
Yes. FastTypings is built mobile-first — tap the screen to open the soft keyboard and type normally, and every mode, including bot racing and leaderboards, works on phones and tablets. Monkeytype also loads in mobile browsers; the difference is that FastTypings' input is designed for touch keyboards.
Will my Monkeytype WPM carry over to FastTypings?
Mostly, yes. Both sites use the same net-WPM formula over a similar common-word default, so 1-minute scores usually land within a few WPM of each other. Race modes read slightly lower because a wrong key blocks progress until you correct it.
Does FastTypings have punctuation and numbers toggles like Monkeytype?
Yes. FastTypings has both toggles, and they work in every mode — timed tests, word-count tests, and races. Turning either on makes the text harder and typically lowers WPM for both sites' tests.
Does FastTypings have a quote or zen mode like Monkeytype?
No. FastTypings focuses on timed tests, word-count tests, and racing. If free-form zen typing or literary quotes are your staple, Monkeytype serves those better — FastTypings is the stronger pick when you want an opponent to chase.