Where can I take a free official IELTS practice test?

On the British Council and IDP sites, which are two of the IELTS owners. Both have free sample tasks in the real test screens.

Is ieltsonlinetests.com official?

No. It is run by an education company that says it partners with the British Council and IDP; the tests are its own.

Do I need an account?

It depends on the site. The table shows which tests open without one.

Does English Practice Exam have IELTS General Training?

Not yet. We have IELTS Academic practice only, so for General Training use one of the other three sites.

How did you check these facts?

We opened each site’s own practice and pricing pages in November 2026 and linked every fact to its page. If something has changed, email us and we will fix it.

IELTS · Practice tests

Best free IELTS online tests, compared

Written by the English Practice Exam team, so we are one of the sites compared. Every fact links to the page we checked it on. Prices as of Nov 2026.

For official practice, start with the test owners: the British Council and IDP both give free sample tasks in the real computer test screen, and the British Council’s free IELTS Ready account adds full scored mock tests. For the biggest free library of full mock tests, Academic and General Training, IELTS Online Tests is hard to beat, with paid marking if you want it. English Practice Exam is smaller and Academic only; it suits learners who want short part-by-part sets with an explanation for every answer and an AI-scored speaking test, in 17 languages.

Try a free IELTS Academic test Try the IELTS Speaking test See our prices

Free IELTS online tests: what each site offers

✓ yes, ◐ partly, ✗ no, ? not stated on their site. Tap a cell to see its source.

Free IELTS online tests: what each site offers
Feature	English Practice Exam	British Council (IELTS Ready)	IDP IELTS	IELTS Online Tests
Free practice without an accountYou can answer some questions free before you sign up.	Partly3 free tests, then a paywall	YesSample tasks in the real test player	YesFamiliarisation tests in the real test screens	PartlyAnswer keys yes; taking a test needs a free account
More free practice with a free accountA free account unlocks practice that guests cannot open.	Partly1 free AI-scored speaking test (TOEFL or IELTS)	YesIELTS Ready	PartlyCourse tasters in the app	YesMonthly mock test volumes since 2022
Made by the exam ownerWritten or licensed by ETS, the British Council, IDP or Cambridge.	NoIndependent; not made by ETS, IELTS or Cambridge	YesA co-owner of IELTS; real past questions	YesA co-owner of IELTS	NoIndependent; British Council and IDP partner
IELTS Academic and General TrainingPractice for both IELTS versions.	PartlyAcademic only; no General Training sets yet	YesPlus UKVI and Life Skills	YesPlus UKVI and Life Skills	Yes
Full-length mock testA whole timed test, not just single tasks.	Partly2 timed mocks per exam with Pro; one part free	Yes2 free with IELTS Ready; 40 with a booking	PartlyFamiliarisation tests; no full scored mock seen	YesAll four skills plus a full-test mode
Listening practice with audioListening questions with recorded or generated audio.	Yes	YesAudio sample tasks in the test player.	YesListening familiarisation test has audio.	YesListening tests in every monthly volume.
Answer explanationsWhy an answer is right, not only whether it is.	Yes	PartlyAnswer keys and model answers	PartlyAnswer PDFs; no explanations seen	YesPer question
Writing feedback or scoringAI or human scoring and comments on your writing.	YesAI grading, paid (credit or Pro)	YesAI feedback: one mock free, more with a booking	PartlyExpert feedback via a paid E2 upgrade	YesPaid: AI or human examiner
Speaking feedback or scoringAI or human scoring and comments on your speaking.	YesAI practice score, TOEFL and IELTS; 1 free test	YesAI feedback: one mock free, more with a booking	PartlyVia the E2 upgrade (not confirmed)	YesPaid AI evaluation
Score or band estimateAn estimated exam score from your practice.	PartlySpeaking and writing only; no overall score estimate	YesEstimated scores in IELTS Ready	PartlyListed as an E2 feature	YesBand scores
Video lessons or a courseTeaching videos or a structured course, beyond practice questions.	No	YesVideos, webinars, short courses	YesVideos, podcast, masterclasses	YesPaid courses; free live lessons
iPhone or Android appAn app in the App Store or Google Play.	PartlyAndroid app on Google Play; no iPhone app yet	Not stated	YesIELTS by IDP, iOS and Android	Not stated
Score guarantee or refundMoney back or extended access if your score does not improve.	No	Not stated	Not stated	PartlyPaid courses only

Pick British Council (IELTS Ready) if

Best for: IELTS candidates who want official practice from a test owner, in the real computer-delivered test screen, and especially those booking IELTS with the British Council, who get IELTS Ready Premium free.

Official: real past IELTS questions from one of the test's owners.
Free sample tasks run in the real IELTS on computer test player, with no account.
A free IELTS Ready account adds full scored mock tests and a first try of AI Writing and Speaking feedback.
Booking a test with them unlocks many more mock tests, AI feedback and full courses at no extra cost.
Covers Academic, General Training, UKVI and Life Skills.

Less suited to: Learners who want a big bank of full mock tests without booking a British Council test, or who are preparing for another exam. Visit British Council (IELTS Ready)

Pick IDP IELTS if

Best for: IELTS candidates, especially those booking with IDP, who want official familiarisation tests in the real computer test screens, free videos, podcasts and masterclasses, and one app to book, prepare and get results.

Official material from an IELTS co-owner, in the real computer test screens, with no account.
A large free library of practice materials, plus videos, podcasts, articles and masterclass events.
The IELTS by IDP app on iPhone and Android to book, prepare and see results in one place.
Free 14-day tasters of a Macquarie University course and an E2 course; the full Macquarie course comes with an IDP test booking.
Covers Academic, General Training, UKVI and Life Skills.

Less suited to: Learners who want many full scored mock tests or instant Writing and Speaking feedback for free. Visit IDP IELTS

Pick IELTS Online Tests if

Best for: IELTS candidates who want a very large free library of full IELTS mock tests, Academic and General Training, in a computer-style test screen, with optional paid AI or examiner marking for Writing and Speaking.

A huge free library: new monthly IELTS mock test volumes going back to 2022, each with all four skills and a full-test mode.
Answer keys and question-by-question explanations you can read without an account.
Optional paid marking for Writing and Speaking, by AI or by a human examiner.
Free live online lessons with teachers, and paid video courses.

Less suited to: People who want to start a test without an account, or who are preparing for an exam other than IELTS. Visit IELTS Online Tests

Pick English Practice Exam if

Best for: Learners who want lots of short practice sets (the first 3 free, no account) for the new TOEFL tasks, IELTS Academic and all five Cambridge exams in one place, with menus and explanations in 17 languages.

You want to start without an account and practise one part at a time.
You want an explanation for every answer, in your own language.
You want an AI-scored IELTS Speaking test with band estimates.
You also prepare for TOEFL, Cambridge, TOEIC or PTE on the same plan.

Less suited to: Learners who want video lessons, a study plan with a teacher, official exam-board material or a score guarantee.

Where we're weaker

British Council (IELTS Ready): The British Council's tests are official, with real past IELTS questions in the real test screen. Ours are written by our team to match the format.
British Council (IELTS Ready): They cover General Training, UKVI and Life Skills. We cover IELTS Academic only.
British Council (IELTS Ready): Their free account includes full scored mock tests and model answers. Our full IELTS mocks need Pro.
IDP IELTS: IDP's material is official and runs in the real test screens. Ours is written by our team.
IDP IELTS: They have a booking and prep app on iPhone and Android, plus video lessons, podcasts and masterclasses. We have no video lessons.
IDP IELTS: They cover General Training, UKVI and Life Skills. We cover IELTS Academic only.
IELTS Online Tests: IELTS Online Tests has a far bigger free library of full IELTS mock tests than we do, and covers General Training. We have IELTS Academic only.
IELTS Online Tests: They sell human examiner marking for Writing. Our Writing and Speaking marking is AI only.
IELTS Online Tests: Free live lessons with teachers; we have no lessons, only practice.

Prices side by side (as of Nov 2026)

As shown on each site's own pricing page, in the currency it shows. Checkout may show your local currency.

Prices as of Nov 2026
Site	Plans and prices	Checked
English Practice Exam	Free: $03 practice tests without an account, then the paywall; speaking: 1 full AI-scored test with a free account Credits: $4 for 3 credits ($8 for 5, $14 for 10, $24 for 20)One credit unlocks one practice test or one AI writing grade; no subscription Pro: $8 a monthEvery practice test and mock, AI writing grading, 20 speaking tests a month; cancel anytime	Nov 4, 2026
British Council (IELTS Ready)	Free sample tasks: $0No account; sample tasks per question type with answer keys and transcripts IELTS Ready (free account): $02 full mock tests, a 25-minute mock with AI feedback, short courses, webinars IELTS Ready Premium: Included with a British Council IELTS booking40 full mock tests, AI feedback, full courses; until 7 days after your test	Nov 4, 2026
IDP IELTS	Free practice materials: $0No account; 72 materials listed, including familiarisation tests with answer PDFs Macquarie online course: Free 14-day taster; full course with an IDP bookingIn the IELTS by IDP app E2 guided short course: Free 14-day trial; upgrade price not shownUpgrade for assessments and expert feedback	Nov 4, 2026
IELTS Online Tests	Free practice tests: $0Free account needed to take a test; answer keys open without one Writing AI evaluation: $4.99 eachBand on the 4 IELTS criteria, tips and a sample answer Speaking AI evaluation: $9.99 per testPer speaking test Writing examiner evaluation: $19.99 eachA human examiner, within 48 hours Video course (MasterClass 6): $38With a score guarantee (refund minus an admin fee)	Nov 4, 2026

FAQ

Where can I take a free official IELTS practice test?: On the British Council and IDP sites, which are two of the IELTS owners. Both have free sample tasks in the real test screens.
Is ieltsonlinetests.com official?: No. It is run by an education company that says it partners with the British Council and IDP; the tests are its own.
Do I need an account?: It depends on the site. The table shows which tests open without one.
Does English Practice Exam have IELTS General Training?: Not yet. We have IELTS Academic practice only, so for General Training use one of the other three sites.
How did you check these facts?: We opened each site’s own practice and pricing pages in November 2026 and linked every fact to its page. If something has changed, email us and we will fix it.

Try a free IELTS Academic test Try the IELTS Speaking test See our prices

Spotted an error, or work at one of these sites and want a fact changed? Email support@sblocktechnologies.com and we will check it and fix it within a week. Last full check: Nov 2026.