Band9Prep vs IELTS Buddy (2026): Free Resources vs AI Feedback Compared
IELTS Buddy is a free resource site with practice questions, model answers, and tips. Band9Prep is an AI feedback platform with instant criterion-scored writing and speaking evaluation. Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, feedback depth, and which is the better fit for self-study IELTS candidates.
Band9Prep Team
IELTS Preparation Experts
IELTS Buddy is one of the longest-running free IELTS resource sites online. Band9Prep is a newer AI feedback platform. They serve different purposes and work well together.
This page covers what each one does, where each one wins, and how to choose based on your study style.
Quick take: IELTS Buddy is a free practice question and model answer library. Band9Prep is the feedback layer that scores your own writing and speaking attempts. They are not competitors — they are complementary tools. Many students use both.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Band9Prep | IELTS Buddy |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | AI feedback platform | Free resource site |
| Pricing | $9.99/month, cancel anytime | Free |
| Writing feedback | Instant AI, IELTS-criteria scored, unlimited | Model answers only, no scoring |
| Speaking feedback | Instant AI on recorded answers, unlimited | Tips and model answers, no recording |
| Practice questions | Unlimited mock tests | Hundreds of free questions across all 4 skills |
| Model answers | For some prompts | Comprehensive across Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening |
| Tips and strategies | Yes, in study plans and guides | Yes, in-depth articles and lessons |
| Mobile apps | iOS and Android | Web only |
| Progress tracking | Skill + question-type dashboard | None |
| Mock tests | Unlimited full-length | Limited full-length tests |
| AI tutor | 24/7 included | Not available |
| Best for | Daily practice with feedback | Free question drilling and tips |
For the most current IELTS Buddy features and content, see IELTSBuddy.com.
What IELTS Buddy Is Actually Good At
IELTS Buddy is a comprehensive free resource site. The site has been around for over a decade and has accumulated:
- Hundreds of practice questions across Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking
- Model answers for Writing Task 1 and Task 2
- Speaking sample answers for Part 1, 2, and 3
- Vocabulary lists organized by topic
- Grammar lessons and tips
- Test format guides for all four skills
If you are a self-disciplined student on a tight budget, IELTS Buddy gives you the question exposure and model answers you need to prepare. The site is genuinely useful and has helped many students reach their target band.
Where IELTS Buddy Stops
IELTS Buddy is a resource library, not a practice platform. The critical difference: IELTS Buddy does not give you feedback on your own attempts. You compare your answer to the model answer manually.
This is fine for Reading and Listening, where the answers are right or wrong. But for Writing and Speaking, where scoring is criterion-based, manual comparison is unreliable. Most students cannot reliably self-evaluate whether their Task 2 essay scored 6.0 or 7.0.
The other gap: IELTS Buddy does not track your progress. There is no dashboard showing which question types you consistently miss or which skills are improving. You have to track this yourself.
What Band9Prep Adds
Band9Prep is the feedback layer that IELTS Buddy does not provide. After every writing task and speaking attempt you submit, Band9Prep gives you:
- A predicted band per criterion (Task Response, Coherence, Lexical, Grammar for Writing; Fluency, Lexical, Grammar, Pronunciation for Speaking)
- Specific issues in this attempt
- What a Band 8 version would include
- Concrete edits for your next attempt
This is the difference between doing 50 essays and getting 50 grades (Band9Prep) vs doing 50 essays and getting 5 grades (traditional tutor turnaround).
If you are stuck at 6.5 in Writing and need to push to 7.0, the bottleneck is feedback. Watching model answers and tips does not close the gap. Submitting your own attempts and getting criterion-level scoring does.
The Best Pattern: IELTS Buddy for Questions + Band9Prep for Feedback
A practical high-scorer pattern:
- Use IELTS Buddy for free practice questions across all four skills, especially Reading and Listening
- Use Band9Prep for the writing and speaking feedback loop that tells you whether your attempts are improving
- Use IELTS Buddy model answers as reference to compare against Band9Prep's predicted Band 8 version
- Track your progress on Band9Prep's dashboard to see which skills are improving
This combination gives you question exposure (free from IELTS Buddy) plus criterion-level feedback (from Band9Prep) for a total cost under $10/month.
When IELTS Buddy Is the Better Pick
Pick IELTS Buddy if:
- You are on a tight budget and cannot pay for any platform
- You learn well from reading model answers and tips
- You are disciplined enough to self-evaluate your writing
- You primarily need Reading and Listening practice
- You are at Band 5.5+ and just need question exposure
When Band9Prep Is the Better Pick
Pick Band9Prep if:
- You write and speak daily and need fast feedback
- You cannot reliably self-evaluate your Writing and Speaking
- You want to track per-skill progress
- You are stuck at 6.0-6.5 in Writing and need criterion-level feedback
- You want iOS and Android apps for mobile practice
IELTS Buddy vs Band9Prep Pricing
| Platform | Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Buddy | Free | Questions, model answers, tips, no feedback |
| Band9Prep | $9.99/month | Unlimited mock tests, instant AI feedback on Writing and Speaking, progress tracking |
The cost difference is small. For students serious about reaching Band 7.0+, the feedback layer is the bottleneck. Band9Prep's monthly cost is less than 1% of the IELTS test retake fee ($230+).
IELTS Buddy vs Band9Prep: Final Verdict
| Your Need | Best Choice |
|---|---|
| Free practice questions and model answers | IELTS Buddy |
| Free tips and grammar lessons | IELTS Buddy |
| Instant AI feedback on your writing | Band9Prep |
| Instant AI feedback on your speaking | Band9Prep |
| Progress tracking over time | Band9Prep |
| Mobile app for practice | Band9Prep |
| Budget is zero | IELTS Buddy |
| Stuck at 6.0-6.5 in Writing | Band9Prep |
| Need full-length mock tests | Band9Prep |
| Self-disciplined and self-evaluating | IELTS Buddy |
| Need someone (or something) to tell you where you are losing marks | Band9Prep |
Common Mistakes Students Make with Free Resources
Mistake 1: Using Only Free Resources and Plateauing
Many students use only free resources and plateau at 6.0-6.5. The reason: free resources give you content but not feedback. Without feedback, you cannot tell whether your writing and speaking are improving.
The fix: add a feedback layer. It can be Band9Prep, a human tutor, or a study group. Without feedback, you will plateau.
Mistake 2: Comparing Your Answer to the Model Without Feedback
IELTS Buddy provides model answers. Reading them is useful. But comparing your answer to the model without criterion-level feedback is unreliable. You do not know if your answer meets Band 7 standards or Band 6 standards.
The fix: get feedback from a platform or tutor that scores against the official IELTS band descriptors, not just model answers.
Mistake 3: Spending All Time on Reading and Listening
Free resources are strong for Reading and Listening (right or wrong answers). But IELTS scores all four skills equally. A Band 5.5 in Writing or Speaking pulls down your overall band.
The fix: spend at least 40% of your study time on Writing and Speaking, where feedback matters most.
How to Get Started
If you are starting from scratch:
- Take a free diagnostic test on Band9Prep or another platform
- Identify your weakest skill
- Use IELTS Buddy for free questions on that skill
- Use Band9Prep for feedback on Writing and Speaking attempts
- Track your progress over 4-6 weeks
If you are already using IELTS Buddy:
- Continue using IELTS Buddy for Reading and Listening
- Add Band9Prep for the Writing and Speaking feedback layer
- Use both — they are not in conflict