{"id":123351,"date":"2026-08-05T11:20:36","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T11:20:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ratatype.net\/en\/?p=123351"},"modified":"2026-10-15T11:42:08","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T11:42:08","slug":"monkeytype-alternatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ratatype.net\/en\/monkeytype-alternatives\/","title":{"rendered":"Ratatype vs. Monkeytype: Which one Should You use?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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People ask which is better as though they compete. They mostly don’t. Monkeytype is a measuring instrument and Ratatype is a course, and asking which is better is a bit like asking whether a bathroom scale beats a gym membership.

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That said, plenty of people are using one when they need the other, so the comparison is worth making properly.

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Short version:<\/strong> if you can already touch type and want to get faster, Monkeytype is excellent and you should use it. If you still look at the keyboard, or you need a certificate for a job application, Monkeytype won’t help you and Ratatype will.

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Where Monkeytype is genuinely very good<\/strong><\/h2>

Credit where it’s due. Monkeytype is open source, free with no premium tier, and the page loads straight into a test with no signup wall. The customization is deeper than anything else in the category: test lengths from 15 seconds to infinite, toggles for punctuation and numbers, custom word lists, code snippets in several languages, 60+ languages of text, and more than 200 themes.

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The statistics are the real draw. You get WPM, raw WPM, accuracy, consistency scored on the variance in your speed, and a character-level breakdown of which keys you fumble. For someone already at 60 or 70 WPM trying to find the last few, that data is legitimately useful.

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It’s also become the default in mechanical keyboard and developer circles, which means leaderboards full of people typing 130 WPM and a community that treats this as a sport.

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Where it stops<\/strong><\/h2>

Monkeytype assumes you already know how to type. That assumption is the whole design.

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There is no lesson sequence. No hand overlay showing which finger covers which key. No correction when your right index finger wanders over to hit the Y with the wrong hand. If your technique is wrong, Monkeytype will measure your wrong technique to three decimal places and never mention it.

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There’s no certificate either, which is fine for a hobbyist and a problem if a recruiter asked for proof of 50 WPM.

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Where Ratatype fits<\/strong><\/h2>

Ratatype<\/a><\/strong> is built around the learning part. Lessons progress key by key, starting from the home row and adding letters only once the previous set is reliable. You get a finger placement chart showing which finger types which key<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, which sounds basic until you realize most self-taught typists have two or three fingers doing work that belongs to four.

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The certificate is the other differentiator. Complete the test and you can download a certificate showing your speed and accuracy without creating an account, which is unusual: most sites that issue certificates want an email address first, and some want money.

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There’s also a group feature for teachers running a class, typing games for when drills get dull, and the whole thing runs in a browser with nothing installed.

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Side by side<\/strong><\/h2>
\u00a0<\/th>Ratatype<\/th>Monkeytype<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Structured lessons<\/td>Yes, full course<\/td>None<\/td><\/tr>
Finger placement guidance<\/td>Yes<\/td>No<\/td><\/tr>
Speed test<\/td>Yes<\/td>Yes, highly configurable<\/td><\/tr>
Stats depth<\/td>Speed, accuracy, weak areas<\/td>Deeper: raw WPM, consistency, per-character<\/td><\/tr>
Themes and customization<\/td>Limited<\/td>Extensive<\/td><\/tr>
Certificate<\/td>Free, no registration<\/td>No<\/td><\/tr>
Registration<\/td>Not required<\/td>Optional<\/td><\/tr>
Code and symbol practice<\/td>Limited<\/td>Yes<\/td><\/tr>
Classroom and group tools<\/td>Yes<\/td>No<\/td><\/tr>
Cost<\/td>Free<\/td>Free, donation funded<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>

One thing worth understanding either way<\/strong><\/h2>

Both sites report speed differently from each other and differently again from most employer tests. Monkeytype separates raw WPM from corrected WPM. Employer assessments usually score net WPM, subtracting uncorrected errors from your raw figure.

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That gap catches people out. A 75 WPM personal best on a familiar site can land as a 58 on a hiring test with an unfamiliar keyboard and alphanumeric text. If you’re practicing for a job rather than a leaderboard, it’s worth reading how gross and net WPM are calculated<\/a><\/strong><\/em> before assuming your number transfers.

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So which one?<\/strong><\/h2>

Use Monkeytype if you touch type properly, you’re chasing a personal best, you want to practice code or punctuation, and you enjoy staring at consistency graphs.

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Use Ratatype if you’re learning from scratch, you’re rebuilding technique after years of hunt and peck, you’re teaching students, or you need a certificate today.

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Use both if you’re somewhere in the middle. Run the touch typing lessons<\/a><\/strong><\/em> until your fingers stop guessing, then move to Monkeytype for daily speed work. That order matters. Speed built on broken technique caps out around 45 WPM and then refuses to move, and unlearning it takes longer than learning it right did.

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Ratatype.net is free to use, with typing lessons available without registration, so testing whether the lesson path helps costs you nothing but the first fifteen minutes.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\n \n \n What are free alternatives to Monkeytype?<\/span>\n\n \n
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\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i> <\/div>\n\n
\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n\n
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Ratatype, Keybr, TypingClub, Typing.com, 10FastFingers and TypeRacer are all free. Ratatype, TypingClub and Typing.com teach you to type with lessons. Keybr drills your weakest keys. 10FastFingers is a quick speed check, and TypeRacer lets you race other typists. Choose by what you need: learning, targeted practice or competition.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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\n \n \n Which typing sites give a certificate?<\/span>\n\n \n
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\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i> <\/div>\n\n
\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n\n
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Ratatype gives a free typing certificate straight after the test, with no registration. Typing.com and TypingClub also offer certificates, but on TypingClub the school edition is needed for some certificate features. Monkeytype, Keybr, TypeRacer and 10FastFingers don't issue a certificate. If you need proof of speed for a job application, check this before you pick a site.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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\n \n \n Which sites are best for beginners?<\/span>\n\n \n
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\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i> <\/div>\n\n
\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n\n
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Ratatype, TypingClub and Typing.com are best for beginners because they teach finger placement step by step instead of only measuring speed. Monkeytype is better once you can already touch type, since it has no lessons. Keybr works well after the basics, to fix weak keys and break through a plateau.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n