Reaction Time Test
How fast can you react to what you see?
How to Play
Your score will be your average reaction time across 5 rounds.
What is the Reaction Time Test?
The reaction time test measures how quickly you respond to a visual change. The screen turns green at a random moment and you click or tap as fast as you can; your score is the average across five rounds. Simple reaction time has been studied since Franciscus Donders ran the first experiments in the 1860s, and it remains one of the most direct measures of how fast your brain processes what your eyes see.
What's a good score?
| Rating | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Lightning Fast | Under 200ms | Top 1% |
| Excellent | 200–249ms | Top 10% |
| Above Average | 250–299ms | Top 30% |
| Average | 300–349ms | Top 50% |
| Below Average | 350ms or more | Bottom 50% |
Frequently asked questions
What is a good reaction time?
Most people average between 200 and 300 milliseconds on a visual test like this one. Anything under 250ms is quicker than average, and under 200ms is rare. Your device adds its own delay on top of your neural response, so compare scores taken on the same hardware.
Can I improve my reaction time?
Within limits. Practice shaves off some milliseconds, and sleep, hydration, and caffeine all measurably affect speed. Age matters too: a 2006 study by Der and Deary tracking over 7,000 adults found reaction time slows by roughly half a millisecond per year from the mid-twenties onward.
Why is my score different on my phone than my computer?
Touchscreens add somewhere between 50 and 200 milliseconds of input latency depending on the device, while a wired mouse adds 20ms or less. Your true neural reaction time is probably faster than any score you see here. For tracking progress, stick to one device.
Is reaction time the same as reflexes?
Not quite. A true reflex, like pulling your hand off a hot stove, runs through the spinal cord without involving the brain. This test measures something slower and more deliberate: seeing a signal, processing it in the visual cortex, deciding to act, and sending the motor command.
Why does the test use five rounds?
Single attempts are noisy. You might anticipate the green light on one trial and be distracted on the next. Averaging five rounds smooths out the flukes, and the test discards clicks faster than 100 milliseconds, which are almost always anticipations rather than genuine reactions.