APM Test

How to Use the APM Test

APM (actions per minute) is a classic RTS stat. This test counts every mouse click and key press for one minute.

1. Click to start. Your first click or key press starts the minute.
2. Act fast. Click and press keys as fast as you can.
3. Watch the pace. Last 10 s pace shows your current speed.
4. Get your APM. After 60 seconds, your total APM is shown.

What Is a Good APM?

Casual players sit around 50 to 100 APM. Strong RTS players often go over 200. Top pros can pass 300 in busy moments.

Keyboard and Mouse Setup for High APM

A keyboard with full rollover makes sure fast hotkey combos all register, and a light mouse with crisp switches keeps clicks quick. Check both with the keyboard tester and the button test. Comfort matters too: if your hands are cramped, your speed drops fast. Keep your wrists relaxed and your keyboard close enough that you don't have to reach.

APM Glossary

Summary

APM is a simple, honest measure of how many inputs your hands can deliver. Test it with clean technique, no macros and the same settings each time. Then focus on turning raw speed into useful actions in your games, because effective actions win matches.

What This APM Test Measures

APM means actions per minute. Every click and key press counts as one action. Strategy and MOBA players use APM to measure how fast they can give orders, but it's also a fun way to measure overall hand speed.

We count every mouse button press and key press while the timer runs, then scale it to a full minute. A 10 second test with 50 actions is 300 APM.

Modes

APM Ranks

Professional StarCraft II players often average 250 to 400 APM in real games, with bursts well above that. Remember that real-game APM includes thinking time, so it's lower than what you can hit in a pure speed test.

How to Raise Your APM

1. Learn hotkeys for everything you do often, instead of clicking menus.
2. Use control groups (Ctrl + number) to select units quickly.
3. Keep your left hand on the home position so you don't need to look at the keyboard.
4. Practise short bursts here, then focus on useful actions in real games.
5. Avoid spam clicking. Effective APM (useful actions) matters more than raw APM.

Where APM Matters

APM is most important in real-time strategy games, where you control many units at once. It also matters in MOBAs for item and ability use, and in rhythm games. In shooters, it doesn't matter much. Accuracy and reaction time are more useful there, so try the aim trainer and the reaction time test.

APM vs CPS vs Typing Speed

These three tests measure related but different things. CPS is pure clicking speed. APM is clicks and keys together. The typing test measures accurate words per minute. If your APM is high but your CPS is low, your keyboard work is carrying you, and vice versa.

Real-Time Performance Tracking

While the timer runs, the counter shows your live APM, updated many times a second. This lets you see whether you start fast and fade, or build up speed as you go. Most people start strong and drop by 10 to 20% in the last few seconds of a longer test. If that happens to you, practise longer tests to build stamina, not just bursts.

What Counts as an Action?

Every mouse button press and every key press counts as one action. Releasing a key or button doesn't count, and holding a key down doesn't repeat. Mouse movement doesn't count either, because it would make the number meaningless. This matches how most strategy games measure APM, so your score here is comparable to what you'd see in game replays.

Effective APM vs Raw APM

Strategy players often talk about EAPM, or effective actions per minute. It ignores spam, like clicking the same spot five times or pressing the same hotkey over and over. A player with 300 APM but lots of spam can be less effective than a player with 180 clean actions. This test measures raw APM, so treat it as a ceiling. In real games, aim to keep your actions purposeful: every click and key press should change something.

Training Drills to Raise Your APM

1. Hotkey cycling: press 1-2-3-4-5 as fast and cleanly as you can for 10 seconds.
2. Click and command: alternate left click, right click and a hotkey in a rhythm.
3. Camera jumps: in game, practise jumping between base and army with keys instead of the minimap.
4. Ten-second sprints: do five short tests here with a 30 second break between each.

Keep sessions short to avoid strain. Fast hands come from good habits more than raw effort.

What Makes This Test Different

Many APM tests only count keys or only count clicks. This one counts both, lets you choose, and runs entirely in your browser with no sign-up. Results are stored locally so you can track your own progress, and nothing you type is sent anywhere. Because we ignore key repeats, holding a key down won't inflate your score.

Settings and Fair Play

Use the same mode and timer each time you test, so your results are comparable. Turn off any macros or key repeat tools, as they create actions you didn't really make. Macros can make a high score easy, but they won't help you in the games where APM matters, and many games ban them in ranked play.

Average APM by Game Type

Pure speed tests like this one usually produce higher numbers than real games, because there's no thinking time.

APM Test FAQ Extras

Does holding a key count many times? No. Key repeats are ignored, so only real presses count.

Do mouse wheel scrolls count? No, only button presses and key presses.

Is a 1 minute test better than 10 seconds? It's fairer for stamina. Short tests show your peak speed.

Can I compare my result with StarCraft replays? Roughly, but real games include thinking time, so in-game APM is lower.

Where to Go Next

Once you know your APM, see how your clicking compares on the CPS test and your typing on the typing test. Strategy players can also use the reaction time test to sharpen their response to alerts and attacks. Together, these give you a full picture of your hand speed and accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions