IELTS Writing Tools Comparison: Which One Actually Helps You Improve?

Reading time: 12 minutes

If you're preparing for IELTS Writing, you've probably searched for tools to check your essays. The market is flooded with options—free AI checkers, grammar tools, paid platforms—each promising to boost your band score. But which ones actually work? And more importantly, which ones will help you improve rather than just give you a number?

We tested the most popular IELTS writing tools to give you an honest breakdown of what each does well, where they fall short, and which might be right for your specific situation.

Quick Comparison Table

*Uses half-band scores which don't reflect actual IELTS marking

The Two Types of Tools You Need to Understand

Before diving into specific tools, it's crucial to understand that IELTS writing tools fall into two fundamentally different categories:

Assessment-Only Tools give you a band score estimate and basic feedback. They tell you where you are but often leave you wondering how to get better.

Coaching Tools go beyond assessment to provide structured learning paths, targeted exercises, and personalized improvement strategies. They focus on transformation, not just evaluation.

This distinction matters because many students get stuck using assessment tools repeatedly, hoping the number will magically change. It won't—not without actual skill development.

General Grammar Tools (Not IELTS-Specific)

Grammarly

What it is: The most popular general English writing assistant, available as a browser extension and standalone app.

Pricing: Free basic version; Premium from $12/month

Pros:

• Catches basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors
• Works across all your writing (email, documents, etc.)
• Real-time suggestions as you type
• Clean, user-friendly interface

Cons:

• Not calibrated for IELTS band descriptors
• Won't tell you if you've addressed the task properly
• Doesn't understand IELTS coherence requirements
• May suggest overly casual language inappropriate for academic writing
• Zero feedback on essay structure or argument development

Best for: General English improvement and catching typos before submission

Verdict: Grammarly is excellent for what it does—basic grammar checking. But thinking it will prepare you for IELTS is like thinking a spell-checker will make you a novelist. Use it alongside IELTS-specific preparation, not instead of it.

LanguageTool

What it is: An open-source grammar checker supporting multiple languages, with a "mother tongue" feature that identifies L1 interference patterns.

Pricing: Free basic; Premium from $4.99/month

Pros:

• Identifies errors common to speakers of your native language
• More affordable than Grammarly
• Good for non-native speakers
• Browser extension available

Cons:

• Same fundamental limitation: not IELTS-aware
• No task response or coherence analysis
• Won't help with IELTS-specific requirements

Best for: Budget-conscious learners wanting general grammar support

IELTS-Specific Scoring Tools

LexiBot

What it is: A popular free IELTS writing checker that provides band score estimates and feedback.

Pricing: Free tier available; paid plans for additional features

Pros:

• Designed specifically for IELTS
• Provides band score estimates across all four criteria
• Detailed feedback on grammar and vocabulary
• Large user community with testimonials
• Quick turnaround on feedback

Cons:

• Accuracy varies (users report ±0.5 to ±1.0 band deviation from actual scores)
• Task 1 scoring reportedly less accurate than Task 2
• Sample essays only available for Band 8+ (not helpful if you're at Band 5)
• Limited guidance on how to improve

Best for: Getting a rough estimate of where you stand

Writing9

What it is: An online IELTS essay checking service with AI-powered feedback.

Pricing: Free checks available; paid subscriptions for full features

Pros:

• IELTS-focused scoring
• Provides improvement suggestions
• User-friendly interface
• Money-back guarantee on some plans

Cons:

• AI limitations in understanding nuanced arguments
• Some users report inconsistent scoring
• Feedback can be generic

Best for: Quick checks between practice sessions

UpScore.ai

What it is: An AI-powered IELTS Writing Task 2 checker with benchmarked accuracy claims.

Pricing: Per-essay and subscription options available

Pros:

• Claims 60% of scores within ±0.5 of official IELTS grades
• Benchmarked against official IELTS sample essays
• Provides personalized suggestions
• Multiple practice questions included

Cons:

• Still shows up to 1.5 band variance in some cases
• Primarily focused on Task 2
• Learning path features limited

Best for: Task 2 practice with score tracking

IELTS Writing Pro

What it is: An AI-driven platform for both Academic and General Training writing evaluation.

Pricing: $5.99 (3-day) to $59.99 (3-month) subscriptions

Pros:

• Supports both Academic and General Training
• 250+ practice questions
• Detailed feedback aligned with IELTS criteria
• Rapid results (approximately 3 minutes)

Cons:

• Subscription model can add up
• No free tier to try before buying
• Limited teaching component

Best for: Intensive short-term practice periods

Engnovate

What it is: A free AI-driven IELTS essay checker for both Task 1 and Task 2.

Pricing: Free tier; Premium plans available

Pros:

• Free basic access
• Covers both writing tasks
• IELTS examiner Fiona Wattie gave it positive reviews for accuracy
• Identifies repetition issues

Cons:

• Uses half-band scores (e.g., 7.5 for individual criteria) which doesn't reflect actual IELTS marking
• Small corrections sometimes unnecessary or inaccurate
• Premium features locked behind paywall

Best for: Quick, free checks when you need a second opinion

The Fundamental Problem With Assessment-Only Tools

Here's something most tool comparisons won't tell you: assessment tools are necessary but not sufficient.

An experienced IELTS teacher named Fiona reviewed multiple AI checkers and found that most "produced the wrong grades and often gave completely wrong feedback." She concluded: "If you're serious about improving your IELTS score, find a real teacher who knows what they're talking about."

The reason? IELTS writing improvement requires:

1. Diagnosis – Understanding your specific error patterns
2. Education – Learning why you make those errors
3. Practice – Targeted exercises addressing your weaknesses
4. Feedback loops – Seeing improvement in real time

Assessment tools only handle part of step one. They can identify that something is wrong but often fail to explain why it's wrong in your specific case, or provide a path to fix it.

What About ChatGPT and Claude?

Many students now use general AI assistants for IELTS essay feedback. Here's the reality:

Pros:

• Free or low-cost
• Can explain grammar rules when asked
• Available 24/7
• Can generate practice questions

Cons:

• Not calibrated to actual IELTS band descriptors
• Inconsistent scoring (Fiona noted ChatGPT correctly used "Task Response" vs. "Task Achievement" terminology when other tools got it wrong, but still gave inflated scores)
• No structured learning progression
• You have to know what questions to ask
• No progress tracking

Best for: Explaining concepts, not scoring essays

What Should You Actually Use?

The honest answer: it depends on your current level and goals.

If you're at Band 4-5 and need to reach Band 6:

• Assessment-only tools will frustrate you because they'll keep showing you the same score without teaching you how to improve
• You need tools that identify your specific error patterns (articles? coherence? task response?) and provide targeted learning
• Focus 80% of effort on your biggest weaknesses, not general practice

If you're at Band 6 and need Band 7+:

• You've mastered the basics and need refinement
• Assessment tools can help track progress
• Focus on sophisticated vocabulary, complex sentence variety, and argument development

If you're taking the test soon (within 2 weeks):

• Use assessment tools to identify remaining gaps
• Don't try to learn entirely new skills—refine what you know
• Practice under timed conditions

The BandWriteCoach Difference

We built BandWriteCoach because we saw the gap between assessment and actual improvement. Our approach:

Diagnostic First: We don't just give you a number—we identify your specific error patterns. For Hindi speakers, that might be articles. For others, it might be coherence or task response. Research shows 50-65% of Band 5 mistakes come from just a few error types.

Personalized Learning Paths: After diagnosis, you receive targeted micro-lessons addressing your weaknesses, not generic IELTS advice.

L1 Interference Recognition: We understand that Hindi speakers struggle with articles because Hindi lacks them entirely. Chinese speakers face different challenges. One-size-fits-all feedback ignores this reality.

Progress Tracking: Watch your scores improve as you work through personalized modules.

The Bottom Line

Most IELTS writing tools are better at measuring than teaching. If you want to actually improve—not just repeatedly check your score—you need a coaching approach that identifies your specific weaknesses and provides targeted learning.

Don't fall into the trap of submitting essay after essay to checkers, hoping the number will change. As one IELTS expert put it: "Many people studying for IELTS think that by doing practice test after practice test and doing the exam over and over it will give them different results. It doesn't."

The score changes when you change. Choose tools that help you do that.

Ready to break through your score plateau? We're currently in closed beta—join the waitlist to get early access and discover what's actually holding you back.