Features Overview

Monkeytype offers a comprehensive set of features designed to make typing practice engaging, customizable, and effective. From basic typing tests to advanced challenge modes, here’s everything you need to know.

Core Features

Multiple Test Modes

Choose from time-based, word count, quotes, zen mode, and custom text tests to match your practice goals.

Real-time Statistics

Live WPM, accuracy, and error tracking as you type, with detailed post-test analytics and graphs.

Theme Customization

Over 400 built-in themes plus the ability to create custom themes with 10 customizable color values.

Account System

Cloud-saved test history, personal bests tracking, and cross-device synchronization via Firebase.

Leaderboards

Daily and weekly leaderboards with XP rewards, plus all-time leaderboards for each mode and language.

Funbox Modes

40+ fun and challenging test modifiers that add variety and difficulty to your typing practice.

Language Support

Type in numerous languages with native word lists, supporting everything from English to less common languages.

API Access

Comprehensive REST API with authentication via API keys for building integrations and third-party apps.

Test Modes

Time Mode

Test your typing speed for a specific duration. This is the most popular mode for benchmarking. Available durations:

15 seconds (quick benchmark)
30 seconds (standard)
60 seconds (medium)
120 seconds (endurance)
Custom duration (any positive integer)

Code reference: Time mode configuration is defined in packages/schemas/src/shared.ts:40-52

export const DefaultTimeModeSchema = z.union([
  z.literal("15"),
  z.literal("30"),
  z.literal("60"),
  z.literal("120"),
]);

Words Mode

Type a specific number of words. Great for consistent practice sessions. Available word counts:

10 words (quick test)
25 words (short)
50 words (standard)
100 words (long)
Custom count (any positive integer)

Quote Mode

Practice with real quotes from various sources. Quotes are categorized by length:

Short (0): Brief quotes and sentences
Medium (1): Moderate-length quotes
Long (2): Extended quotes and passages
Thicc (3): Very long quotes for endurance practice
Favorites (-3): Your saved favorite quotes
Search (-2): Search for specific quotes

Code reference: Quote length schema in packages/schemas/src/configs.ts:14-36

Zen Mode

Type freely without any time limit or word count. Perfect for:

Warming up before timed tests
Stress-free practice
Testing keyboard layouts
Free-form writing

Custom Mode

Create your own custom text to practice with specific content. Useful for:

Programming language syntax practice
Memorizing specific passages
Practicing domain-specific vocabulary
Training for real-world typing scenarios

Difficulty Levels

Monkeytype offers three difficulty levels that affect word selection and text generation:

Normal
Expert
Master

Normal DifficultyThe default difficulty level using the most common words from the selected language. Ideal for:

Beginners learning touch typing
Casual practice
Building speed and confidence

Uses standard word frequency lists for natural typing flow.

Code reference: Difficulty schema in packages/schemas/src/shared.ts:6-7

export const DifficultySchema = z.enum(["normal", "expert", "master"]);

Customization Options

Visual Customization

Themes

400+ Built-in Themes: Carefully curated themes ranging from minimal to vibrant
Light/Dark Mode: Separate theme selection for light and dark modes
Random Theme: Automatically switch themes between tests
Custom Themes: Create your own with 10 customizable colors:
- Background color
- Main text color
- Caret color
- Sub text color
- Error color
- Error extra color
- Correct color
- Correct extra color
- Text color
- Secondary color

Caret Styles

Choose from multiple caret styles in packages/schemas/src/configs.ts:39-49:

off: No caret
default: Standard vertical line
block: Filled block
outline: Outlined block
underline: Underscore style
carrot: Fun carrot icon
banana: Fun banana icon
monkey: Fun monkey icon

Smooth Caret

Animate the caret movement between characters:

off: Instant movement
slow: Gentle animation
medium: Moderate speed
fast: Quick animation

Behavioral Settings

Quick Restart

Configure which key restarts the test (defined in packages/schemas/src/configs.ts:11-12):

off: Disabled
esc: Use Escape key
tab: Use Tab key
enter: Use Enter key

Stop on Error

Control behavior when making mistakes:

off: Continue typing with errors highlighted
word: Must correct word before proceeding to next
letter: Must correct each letter before continuing

Confidence Mode

Hide text you’ve already typed to increase difficulty:

off: Show all text
on: Hide previous words
max: Hide everything except current word

Sound Effects

Click Sounds

16 different typing sound effects to choose from, plus the ability to disable them entirely.

Error Sounds

4 different error alert sounds that play when you make a mistake.

Volume Control

Adjust sound volume from 0.0 to 1.0 with fine-grained control.

Additional Options

Punctuation: Toggle punctuation marks in test text
Numbers: Toggle numbers in test text
Blind Mode: Hide the test text for memory-based typing
Focus Mode: Hide header and footer while typing for distraction-free experience
Font Selection: Choose from numerous font options optimized for readability
Font Size: Adjust font size from small to large
Line Width: Set maximum line width (20-1000 pixels or 0 for full width)

Funbox Modes

Funbox modes are special test modifiers that add unique challenges or variations to the standard typing test. There are over 40 funbox modes available.

Visual Effect Funboxes

Mirror

Everything is mirrored horizontally. Type while looking in a mirror!Properties: CSS modifications, allows PB

Upside Down

All text appears upside down. Challenge your spatial awareness.Properties: CSS modifications, allows PB

Nausea

Screen sways back and forth. Not recommended before lunch.Properties: CSS animations, allows PB, ignores reduced motion

Round Round Baby

The typing area spins continuously. Hold on tight!Properties: CSS animations, allows PB, ignores reduced motion

Challenge Funboxes

Memory

Words appear briefly then disappear. Type from memory.Properties: Changes word visibility, allows PB

Read Ahead

Must type words several positions ahead. Three difficulty levels: easy, normal, hard.Properties: Changes word visibility, allows PB

Simon Says

Type exactly what appears, including unusual formatting.Properties: Uses keyboard layout, allows PB

TTS (Text-to-Speech)

Words are spoken aloud instead of displayed. Listen carefully!Properties: Changes word visibility, speaks, allows PB

Special Character Funboxes

58008 (Numbers)

Type only numbers. Perfect for accountants and data entry practice.Properties: Ignores language/layout, no PB

Arrows

Type using arrow keys. Great for pad/controller practice.Properties: Ignores language/layout, symmetric chars, no PB

ASCII

Type ASCII special characters and symbols.Properties: Ignores language/layout, allows PB

Binary

Type in binary (0s and 1s).Properties: Ignores language, symmetric chars, allows PB

Hexadecimal

Type hexadecimal values (0-9, A-F).Properties: Ignores language/layout, allows PB

IPv4 / IPv6

Practice typing IP addresses in v4 or v6 format.Properties: Ignores language, allows PB

Text Transformation Funboxes

rAnDoMcAsE: Randomly capitalize letters
sPoNgEcAsE: Alternating case letters
ALL_CAPS: Everything in uppercase
capitals: Words start with capital letters
backwards: Type words in reverse
ddoouubblleedd: Every letter appears twice
rot13: Caesar cipher rotation
morse: Morse code practice

Word Generation Funboxes

gibberish: Random letter combinations
pseudolang: Made-up words following language patterns
wikipedia: Random Wikipedia article excerpts
poetry: Poem excerpts and verses
weakspot: Focus on your worst-performing key combinations
zipf: Words ordered by frequency (Zipf’s law)

Layout Funboxes

layoutfluid: Automatically switch between multiple keyboard layouts during the test
layout_mirror: Mirror your keyboard layout
polyglot: Type in multiple languages simultaneously

Modifier Funboxes

nospace: Spaces are replaced with visible characters
plus_one/two/three: Shift each letter forward in the alphabet
underscore_spaces: Replace spaces with underscores
instant_messaging: Add common internet abbreviations and slang

Code reference: Full funbox list in packages/schemas/src/configs.ts:275-324 and packages/funbox/src/list.ts

Some funbox modes disable personal best tracking because they significantly alter the typing experience. These include modes that change the character set (like 58008, arrows) or make the test non-comparable to standard typing.

Statistics and Analytics

Real-time Metrics

While typing, Monkeytype tracks:

WPM (Words Per Minute): Live calculation of typing speed
Accuracy: Percentage of correctly typed characters
Raw WPM: Speed including all errors
Timer/Progress: Countdown or word count progress

Post-Test Results

After completing a test, view detailed analytics:

Final WPM: Your typing speed
Accuracy: Overall accuracy percentage
Raw WPM: Speed with errors included
Consistency: How steady your typing speed was (0-100%)
Character Stats:
- Correct characters
- Incorrect characters
- Extra characters
- Missed characters
WPM Graph: Speed over time visualization
Character-by-Character Breakdown: See exactly where errors occurred
Key Press Heatmap: Visualize which keys you pressed

Personal Bests

Personal bests are automatically tracked for each unique combination of:

Mode (time/words/quote/custom/zen)
Duration or word count
Language
Difficulty level
Punctuation enabled/disabled
Numbers enabled/disabled

Code reference: Personal best schema in packages/schemas/src/shared.ts:10-22

export const PersonalBestSchema = z.object({
  acc: z.number().nonnegative().max(100),
  consistency: z.number().nonnegative().max(100),
  difficulty: DifficultySchema,
  lazyMode: z.boolean().optional(),
  language: LanguageSchema,
  punctuation: z.boolean().optional(),
  numbers: z.boolean().optional(),
  raw: z.number().nonnegative(),
  wpm: z.number().nonnegative(),
  timestamp: z.number().nonnegative(),
});

Account Features

Creating an account unlocks powerful features:

Test History

Unlimited test result storage (premium users get higher limits)
Filter and search through past results
Export test data
Delete individual or bulk results

Profile System

Customizable username and bio
Profile badges and flags
Public or private profile options
Activity calendar showing typing frequency
Detailed statistics and graphs

Leaderboards

Daily Leaderboards

New leaderboards every day
Multiple mode and language categories
XP rewards based on rank
Top results announced on Discord

Configuration in packages/schemas/src/configuration.ts:104-112:

dailyLeaderboards: z.object({
  enabled: z.boolean(),
  leaderboardExpirationTimeInDays: z.number().nonnegative(),
  maxResults: z.number().int().nonnegative(),
  validModeRules: z.array(ValidModeRuleSchema),
  scheduleRewardsModeRules: z.array(ValidModeRuleSchema),
  topResultsToAnnounce: z.number().int().positive(),
  xpRewardBrackets: z.array(RewardBracketSchema),
}),

Weekly XP Leaderboards

Compete for highest XP earned each week
XP brackets with rewards
Resets weekly

All-Time Leaderboards

Permanent leaderboards for each mode, language, and difficulty combination
Minimum typing time requirements to prevent spam
Updated in real-time

XP System

Earn experience points (XP) by:

Completing typing tests (scaled by time and performance)
Daily login bonuses
Streak bonuses (consecutive days of typing)
Funbox multipliers for challenging modes

XP configuration in packages/schemas/src/configuration.ts:67-78:

xp: z.object({
  enabled: z.boolean(),
  funboxBonus: z.number(),
  gainMultiplier: z.number(),
  maxDailyBonus: z.number(),
  minDailyBonus: z.number(),
  streak: z.object({
    enabled: z.boolean(),
    maxStreakDays: z.number().nonnegative(),
    maxStreakMultiplier: z.number(),
  }),
}),

Premium Features

Premium accounts (via Patreon) receive:

Increased result storage limits
Priority support
Early access to new features
Special profile badges
Ad-free experience

Discord Integration

Connect your Discord account to:

Auto-assign role based on typing performance
Participate in community challenges
Receive leaderboard announcements
Show typing stats on your profile

API Access

Monkeytype provides a comprehensive REST API for building integrations:

Authentication

Generate API keys from your account settings:

Create multiple API keys
Set per-key permissions
Rate limiting per key
Regenerate or delete keys anytime

Configuration in packages/schemas/src/configuration.ts:90-96:

apeKeys: z.object({
  endpointsEnabled: z.boolean(),
  acceptKeys: z.boolean(),
  maxKeysPerUser: z.number().int().nonnegative(),
  apeKeyBytes: z.number().int().nonnegative(),
  apeKeySaltRounds: z.number().int().nonnegative(),
}),

Available Endpoints

The API provides access to:

User profile data
Test results and history
Personal bests
Leaderboards
Configuration management
Quote database
Public statistics

For complete API documentation, see the API Reference section.

Additional Features

Presets

Save custom configuration presets for quick switching:

Name your preset
Save any combination of settings
Quickly switch between presets
Share presets with others via URL

Challenges

Participate in or create typing challenges:

Time-limited challenges
Specific configuration requirements
Community challenges
Leaderboard for each challenge

Quotes

Submit new quotes for review
Report inappropriate quotes
Favorite quotes for quick access
Search quotes by content or author

Quote system configuration in packages/schemas/src/configuration.ts:28-36:

quotes: z.object({
  reporting: z.object({
    enabled: z.boolean(),
    maxReports: z.number().int().nonnegative(),
    contentReportLimit: z.number().int().nonnegative(),
  }),
  submissionsEnabled: z.boolean(),
  maxFavorites: z.number().int().nonnegative(),
}),

Explore the settings menu (Ctrl + Shift + C) to discover even more customization options. Monkeytype has hundreds of configuration possibilities!

Get Started

Using Monkeytype

Advanced

​Features Overview

​Core Features

Multiple Test Modes

Real-time Statistics

Theme Customization

Account System

Leaderboards

Funbox Modes

Language Support

API Access

​Test Modes

​Time Mode

​Words Mode

​Quote Mode

​Zen Mode

​Custom Mode

​Difficulty Levels

​Customization Options

​Visual Customization

​Themes

​Caret Styles

​Smooth Caret

​Behavioral Settings

​Quick Restart

​Stop on Error

​Confidence Mode

​Sound Effects

​Click Sounds

​Error Sounds

​Volume Control

​Additional Options

​Funbox Modes

​Visual Effect Funboxes

Mirror

Upside Down

Nausea

Round Round Baby

​Challenge Funboxes

Memory

Read Ahead

Simon Says

TTS (Text-to-Speech)

​Special Character Funboxes

58008 (Numbers)

Arrows

ASCII

Binary

Hexadecimal

IPv4 / IPv6

​Text Transformation Funboxes

​Word Generation Funboxes

​Layout Funboxes

​Modifier Funboxes

​Statistics and Analytics

​Real-time Metrics

​Post-Test Results

​Personal Bests

​Account Features

​Test History

​Profile System

​Leaderboards

​Daily Leaderboards

​Weekly XP Leaderboards

​All-Time Leaderboards

​XP System

​Premium Features

​Discord Integration

​API Access

​Authentication

​Available Endpoints

​Additional Features

​Presets

​Tags

​Challenges

​Quotes

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Features Overview

Core Features

Test Modes

Time Mode

Words Mode

Quote Mode

Zen Mode

Custom Mode

Difficulty Levels

Customization Options

Visual Customization

Themes

Caret Styles

Smooth Caret

Behavioral Settings

Quick Restart

Stop on Error

Confidence Mode

Sound Effects

Click Sounds

Error Sounds

Volume Control

Additional Options

Funbox Modes

Visual Effect Funboxes

Challenge Funboxes

Special Character Funboxes

Text Transformation Funboxes

Word Generation Funboxes

Layout Funboxes

Modifier Funboxes

Statistics and Analytics

Real-time Metrics

Post-Test Results

Personal Bests

Account Features

Test History

Profile System

Leaderboards

Daily Leaderboards

Weekly XP Leaderboards

All-Time Leaderboards

XP System

Premium Features

Discord Integration

API Access

Authentication

Available Endpoints

Additional Features

Presets

Tags

Challenges

Quotes