Band9Prep vs Grammarly for IELTS Writing: Which Is Better in 2026?
Compare Band9Prep and Grammarly for IELTS essay grading. See why general proofreaders fail IELTS writing and how Band9Prep gives accurate band scores.
Grammarly is a general-purpose grammar checker. Band9Prep is built specifically for IELTS evaluation. They are not the same tool.
IELTS Writing Criteria Comparison
| Criterion | Band9Prep | Grammarly |
|---|---|---|
| Task Achievement | Checks if you answered all parts. Gives score + improvement tips. | No IELTS task analysis. Only evaluates general clarity. |
| Coherence & Cohesion | Analyses paragraph structure, transitions, logical flow. | Suggests paragraph splits but no cohesive device score. |
| Lexical Resource | Highlights repetitive words, evaluates academic usage, suggests synonyms. | Basic spelling/grammar suggestions. No band score mapping. |
| Grammatical Range | Scores syntax variety, highlights IELTS-specific grammar rules. | Good general grammar checker, but no IELTS range scoring. |
Key Differences
Band9Prep gives you a band score. Grammarly cannot do this because it wasn't designed for IELTS. A Band 7 essay may have zero grammar errors but score low on Task Achievement — Grammarly would call it perfect. Band9Prep would identify the actual problem.
Band9Prep is trained on IELTS examiners' standards. Our AI understands what examiners look for in each of the 4 criteria. Grammarly applies general English rules which don't align with IELTS scoring.
How to Use Both
Use Grammarly for general proofreading. Use Band9Prep for actual IELTS band scoring and targeted improvement feedback. They complement each other.