Online IELTS courses compared
We enrol on each course, hand in the same test essay, try the Speaking practice and record what we find. The score comes from those measurements, using the method below, and no provider can pay to change it.
How this page is made. A course appears here only after we have enrolled on it and tested it ourselves. The order comes from the score, worked out by the method at the end of this page. No provider can pay to appear, to be left out or to move up.
None of the links on this page earn us money. We also sell our own courses; they are not included or ranked here.
Testing under way
We have not finished testing any courses for this comparison yet. Results appear here as each test is completed, with who tested the course and when. Until then, the method below shows exactly what we check.
Looking for a course now? See listed course providers or what to look for in online IELTS coaching.
How we test and score
We enrol on the course, hand in the same test essay that every course receives, try the Speaking practice and check what the course includes and costs. Each course is scored out of 100:
- Writing feedback (25 points). Teacher and automated feedback 20, teacher 18, automated only 10, none 0; plus 5 if the feedback is given against each of the four official criteria.
- Writing turnaround (10 points). Time from handing in our test essay to receiving feedback: within 24 hours 10, within 3 days 7, within 7 days 4, longer 1.
- Quality of feedback (15 points). We hand in the same test essay to every course. The tester rates the feedback from 1 to 5 against our checklist: does it name the band-limiting problems, quote the essay, show how to fix them and stay consistent with the public band descriptors? 1 scores 0, 2 scores 4, 3 scores 8, 4 scores 11 and 5 scores 15.
- Speaking practice (15 points). Live practice with a teacher 15, recorded answers with feedback 8, none 0.
- Coverage (15 points). 3 for each of the four skills taught, plus 3 for two or more full mock tests (2 for one).
- Named, qualified teacher (10 points). 10 if the course names its teachers and states their teaching qualification.
- Price (10 points). Total price in pounds on the test date: free or up to £50 scores 10, up to £100 8, up to £200 6, up to £400 4, more 2. Unknown price 0.
A course that promises a guaranteed band loses 15 points and is flagged: no course can guarantee an IELTS result. Courses are listed from the highest score; on a tie, the cheaper course comes first. We repeat each test at least once a year. Full method
IELTS is a registered trademark. IELTS Prep Studio is not affiliated with or endorsed by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia, or Cambridge Assessment English. Scores describe what we found when we tested each course; they are not a prediction of your IELTS result.