How spacebar CPS is calculated
CPS stands for clicks per second. On the space bar each press is a click, so your score is the number of presses divided by the length of the test. This test runs for five seconds, and the timer starts with your first press of Space rather than when the page loads, so you do not lose time getting your hand into place.
| Presses in 5 seconds | Spacebar CPS |
|---|---|
| 20 | 4.0 |
| 35 | 7.0 |
| 50 | 10.0 |
| 60 | 12.0 |
The result is shown to one decimal, together with a rating, your press count and your personal best.
Why holding the key does not count
If you hold a key down in a text box, after a short pause the character starts repeating on its own. That is auto-repeat, and your computer generates it, not your finger. If the test counted those repeats, anyone could hold Space and post a huge score. So auto-repeat is ignored, and a press only counts when you push the key down after releasing it.
This also means a key that gets stuck down cannot inflate your result. It simply stops adding presses until it comes back up.
What the rating means
The rating uses the same score guide as the other CPS tests on this site: 14 or more is exceptional, 11 to 13.9 fast, 9 to 10.9 above average, 6 to 8.9 average, 4 to 5.9 below average and under 4 slow. There is no separate set of figures for the space bar, so treat the bands as a rough guide rather than a ranking against other spacebar users.
The best comparison is with yourself. Your scores stay in this browser, and the Your scores panel shows your best, average, attempts and a trend chart for the spacebar mode alone.
Getting a reliable number
One run can be thrown off by a slow start or a missed press. Take several runs and watch the average rather than the best. Use the same keyboard each time, since keys differ in how far they travel and how quickly they spring back. If you want a longer count, the spacebar counter runs for 10 seconds, and the keyboard CPS test lets you alternate keys instead of using Space alone.