LOOKSMETER · RATING SCALES
The TrueRateMe scale, explained: 1-9.5 chart & PSL conversion
Reddit's r/TrueRateMe popularized a strict 1.0-to-9.5 bell-curve facial rating scale where 5.0 is the exact human median, 6.0 is top 15% and 9.5 is the theoretical ceiling. Here is how the men's and women's primers work, how every TrueRateMe tier converts directly to the 0.25-8.0 PSL scale and how to benchmark your own photo privately. Try our private free bell-curve test →
TrueRateMe (1.0-9.5) vs PSL Scale (0.25-8.0) conversion chart
The two strictest facial rating rubrics on the internet - Reddit's r/TrueRateMe primer and the 0.25-to-8.0 PSL scale - look different at first glance only because their center points sit one digit apart. TrueRateMe anchors the 50th-percentile average at 5.0 on a 1.0-to-9.5 ruler, whereas PSL anchors the exact same 50th-percentile average at 4.0 on a 0.25-to-8.0 ruler.
Once you align them by standard deviations (z-scores) and population percentiles, the two scales map cleanly onto one another:
| TrueRateMe | PSL Equivalent | PSL Tier | Population Percentile | Everyday Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 - 3.9 | 1.75 - 2.90 | Low Tier Normie (LTN) | Bottom ~2% - 15% | Noticeable craniofacial disharmony or severe lens distortion. |
| 4.0 - 4.5 | 3.00 - 3.60 | Low MTN | 16th - 35th | Slightly below median harmony with unaddressed surface failos. |
| 5.0 (Center) | 4.00 (Center) | True MTN | 50th (Exact Median) | Normal, balanced everyday human proportions. |
| 5.5 | 4.50 | Entry HTN | ~70th (Top 30%) | Noticeably pleasant facial balance in daily life. |
| 6.0 | 5.00 | Solid HTN | ~84th (Top 16%) | Clearly attractive (~7-7.5/10 in casual social use). |
| 6.5 | 5.40 - 5.55 | High HTN / Chadlite | ~93rd (Top 7%) | Standout bone structure + eye area, commercial talent look. |
| 7.0 | 5.75 - 6.00 | Chadlite / Stacylite | ~98th (Top 2%) | Signed print/commercial model harmony across all pillars. |
| 8.0 | 6.30 - 6.60 | Chad / Stacy | ~99.87th (Top 0.13%) | Editorial runway supermodel outlier with zero failos. |
| 9.0 - 9.5 | 6.90 - 7.50+ | High Chad / True Adam | >99.99th (<1 in 10,000) | Once-a-generation peak portrait ceiling (10.0 is never awarded). |
Why TrueRateMe bans 'overrating' (and why 5.0 feels shocking)
Anyone browsing r/TrueRateMe for the first time sees objectively attractive everyday people receiving rows of '5.3' and '5.6' comments while moderators remove '8/10!' replies for 'overrating'. That rule exists to enforce a strict Gaussian distribution: if raters hand out 7.5s to everyone in the top third of a room, there is nowhere left on the ruler to separate top 25% from top 1% or top 0.1%.
Both TrueRateMe and calibrated PSL tools solve that compression problem the same way - by holding the center line firm so a 6.0 TRM (5.0 PSL) genuinely means top ~15%.
Men's vs women's criteria on the TrueRateMe & PSL rubrics
Both the TrueRateMe men's and women's primers evaluate universal proportion harmony first, then diverge on sexual dimorphism:
Shared baseline (both men & women)
Balanced 1:1:1 vertical facial thirds, classical horizontal fifths (ESR ~0.44-0.475), bilateral symmetry above 94%, nasal alar width proportional to mouth width and clear, even skin texture.
Men's primer focus
Rewards angular mandibular borders (gonial angle ~115°-125°), chin projection aligned with the lips, broad bizygomatic-to-bigonial structure, low-set dense eyebrows and deep-set neutral-to-positive canthal tilt.
Women's primer focus
Rewards smooth S-shaped ogee cheekbone curves tapering to a narrower oval/heart jaw, compact philtrum-to-chin balance (~1:2.1), high-contrast lash and brow framing (upturned siren or balanced almond/doe eyes) and full vermilion lip symmetry.
Using a private landmark rater
A public rating forum and a private landmark rater take different approaches. A forum may suit people who want ratings from a community. A private tool may suit people who want a score without a public post.
LooksMeter runs precision 3D facial landmark measurement locally in your browser and returns a deterministic, bell-curve-calibrated PSL score, percentile and 4-pillar breakdown in ten seconds - with zero public post, zero signup required for your free scan and instant convertibility to the TrueRateMe chart above.
Frequently asked
What is the TrueRateMe scale?
The TrueRateMe (TRM) scale is a strict normal-distribution (bell-curve) facial attractiveness rubric running from 1.0 to 9.5, popularized by the Reddit community r/TrueRateMe. TrueRateMe locks 5.0 to the exact 50th-percentile human median and maps every 1.0-point step to roughly one standard deviation.
Is a 5.5 or 6.0 good on TrueRateMe?
Yes. Because 5.0 is the strict statistical average on TrueRateMe, a 5.5 places a face around the 70th percentile (top ~30%, High MTN to Entry HTN on the PSL scale) and a 6.0 places a face around the 84th-85th percentile (top ~15%, equivalent to a solid 5.0 HTN on the PSL scale or a 7-7.5 in everyday conversation).
How does the TrueRateMe 1-9.5 scale convert to the 0.25-8.0 PSL scale?
Both systems use the exact same Gaussian bell-curve math, shifted by roughly 1.0 point around the median: TrueRateMe 4.0 equals ~3.0 PSL (LTN/MTN line), TrueRateMe 5.0 equals ~4.0 PSL (50th-percentile MTN mean), TrueRateMe 6.0 equals ~5.0 PSL (HTN, top 15%), TrueRateMe 7.0 equals ~5.75 PSL (Chadlite / Stacylite, top 2%) and TrueRateMe 8.0+ equals ~6.3+ PSL (Chad / Stacy, top 0.1%).
How can I get a TrueRateMe-style calibrated rating privately?
Upload one clear front-facing photo to LooksMeter's free PSL Score test (/tools/psl-score). It measures 3D facial landmarks in your browser, scores your face on the same strict Gaussian bell curve with zero public posting and discards your full-resolution upload after scoring.
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Related rating scales & private calculators
Private Free PSL Score Test
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The 0.25-8.0 PSL Scale
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Female PSL Scale Guide
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Bell Curve & Calibration Study
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8-Region Halos & Failos
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The Face Report (Flagship)
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This page is general information about facial aesthetics terminology, not medical or cosmetic advice. Scores from our tools are calibrated reads of one photo that describe presentation, never your worth.