Best Free IELTS Practice Tests 2026: 8 Sources Ranked
Free IELTS practice tests from British Council, IDP, IELTS official, Cambridge, and other sources. Side-by-side ranking of 8 free test sources by authenticity, scoring accuracy, and feedback depth. Includes the best free options for each skill and a 4-week plan using only free resources.
Band9Prep Team
IELTS Preparation Experts
Free IELTS practice tests are useful for Reading and Listening (where answers are right or wrong) and for understanding the test format. They are less useful for Writing and Speaking, where you need criterion-level feedback.
This page ranks 8 free test sources by authenticity, scoring accuracy, and feedback depth. Plus a 4-week study plan using only free resources.
Quick take: British Council, IDP, and Cambridge sample tests are the most authentic for Reading and Listening. Band9Prep free tier is the best for Writing and Speaking feedback. The optimal free combination is a Cambridge book + Band9Prep free tier.
The 8 Free Sources Ranked
| Source | Skills | Authenticity | Feedback | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Council free test | L, R, W (partial) | High | None | Test format and timing |
| IDP free test | L, R, W (partial) | High | None | Test format and timing |
| IELTS.org sample questions | L, R | High | None | Quick format check |
| Cambridge IELTS sample test | L, R, W | Highest | Sample answers | Test simulation |
| Band9Prep free tier | L, R, W, S | High | AI feedback (Writing and Speaking) | Daily practice |
| IELTS Liz free resources | L, R, W (model) | Medium | Model answers | Self-study structure |
| IELTS Buddy free | L, R, W (model) | Medium | Model answers | Free question drilling |
| IELTS Simon free | W (model) | High | Model answers | Writing strategy |
Source 1: British Council Free Practice Test
The British Council is one of the three IELTS test administrators. Their free practice test is on the official IELTS preparation page.
What You Get
- 1-2 full Listening tests
- 1-2 full Reading tests
- Sample Writing Task 1 and Task 2 prompts (with model answers)
- Speaking sample answers
- Test format guides and tips
Pros
- Official — from the test administrator
- Authentic — same question style as the real test
- Free — no cost
- Updated — keeps current with test format
Cons
- Limited number of tests — only 1-2 per skill
- No Writing or Speaking feedback — you have to self-evaluate
- No progress tracking — no dashboard
Best For
- Candidates who want the most authentic free Listening and Reading practice
- Test-day simulation
For the British Council free test, see BritishCouncil.org.
Source 2: IDP Free Practice Test
IDP is another IELTS test administrator. Their free practice test is on the official IDP IELTS preparation page.
What You Get
- 1-2 full Listening tests
- 1-2 full Reading tests
- Sample Writing prompts
- Speaking sample answers
- Test format guides
Pros
- Official — from the test administrator
- Authentic — same question style
- Free
Cons
- Limited number of tests — similar to British Council
- No Writing or Speaking feedback
Best For
- Candidates who want a second source of free Listening and Reading practice
For the IDP free test, see IDPIELTS.com.
Source 3: IELTS.org Sample Questions
The official IELTS website has sample questions for all four skills, including a sample Speaking test video.
What You Get
- Sample Listening questions
- Sample Reading passages
- Sample Writing Task 1 and Task 2 with examiner comments
- Sample Speaking test video
- Band score information
Pros
- Official — from the test owners
- Authentic — actual test format
- Speaking video — shows what the real test looks like
- Examiner comments — on Writing sample answers
Cons
- Sample questions, not full tests — limited quantity
- No full test simulation
Best For
- Candidates who want to understand the test format
- First-time IELTS candidates
For the IELTS.org samples, see IELTS.org.
Source 4: Cambridge IELTS Sample Test
Cambridge IELTS books 17, 18, and 19 are the official practice tests. They are not free, but used copies are available at significant discount (~$20-30 instead of $50).
What You Get
- 4 full practice tests per book (12 total in books 17-19)
- Authentic Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking
- Sample answers with examiner comments
- Audio for Listening (British, Australian, North American accents)
Pros
- Highest authenticity — co-published with IELTS partners
- Multiple full tests — 12 in books 17-19
- Detailed sample answers — Writing with examiner comments
- Multiple accents — Listening audio
Cons
- Not free — $50-55 new, $20-30 used
- Manual scoring — you have to count correct answers
Best For
- Most serious candidates
- The official test simulation
- Reusable across multiple candidates
For current pricing, see Cambridge.org.
Source 5: Band9Prep Free Tier
Band9Prep offers a free tier with unlimited Listening and Reading practice and AI feedback on a limited number of Writing and Speaking attempts per month.
What You Get
- Unlimited Listening practice
- Unlimited Reading practice
- Limited Writing feedback per month (free tier)
- Limited Speaking feedback per month (free tier)
- Progress tracking
- Mobile apps
Pros
- AI feedback — only free source that gives Writing and Speaking feedback
- Unlimited Listening and Reading — best free quantity
- Progress tracking — see your improvement over time
- Mobile apps — practice on your phone
- Criterion-level scoring — shows which criterion you are losing marks on
Cons
- Limited Writing and Speaking feedback on free tier
- Subscription required for unlimited use
Best For
- Candidates who want free feedback on their writing and speaking
- Daily practice
- Progress tracking
For the Band9Prep free tier, see Band9Prep.com.
Source 6: IELTS Liz Free Resources
IELTS Liz is a popular YouTube channel and website with free lessons, model answers, and tips for IELTS preparation.
What You Get
- Model answers for Writing Task 1 and Task 2
- Speaking sample answers
- Lessons on grammar, vocabulary, and strategy
- YouTube video lessons
Pros
- Free
- Comprehensive — covers all four skills
- Video content — helpful for visual learners
Cons
- No full test simulation
- No AI feedback on your own attempts
Best For
- Candidates who learn well from video lessons
- Self-study structure
For IELTS Liz, see IELTSLiz.com.
Source 7: IELTS Buddy Free Resources
IELTS Buddy is a free resource site with practice questions, model answers, and tips across all four skills.
What You Get
- Hundreds of practice questions for all four skills
- Model answers for Writing and Speaking
- Vocabulary and grammar lessons
- Test format guides
Pros
- Free and comprehensive
- Strong question library
- Model answers for all skills
Cons
- No full test simulation
- No AI feedback on your own attempts
Best For
- Free question drilling across all four skills
For IELTS Buddy, see IELTSBuddy.com.
Source 8: IELTS Simon Free Resources
IELTS Simon is a former IELTS examiner whose website shares model answers and lessons, especially for Writing.
What You Get
- Model answers for Writing Task 1 and Task 2
- Lessons on writing strategy
- Sample answers for Reading, Listening, Speaking
- Vocabulary lists
Pros
- Free
- Former IELTS examiner perspective
- Strong Writing focus
Cons
- Limited Speaking content compared to Writing
- No full test simulation
- No AI feedback
Best For
- Candidates who want to learn from a former examiner
For IELTS Simon, see IELTS-Simon.com.
Best Free Combo for Each Skill
Best Free Listening Practice
- British Council free test — most authentic
- IDP free test — most authentic
- Cambridge IELTS books 17-19 — most authentic (not free, but cheap used)
Best Free Reading Practice
- British Council free test — most authentic
- IDP free test — most authentic
- Cambridge IELTS books 17-19 — most authentic
Best Free Writing Practice
- Band9Prep free tier — only free source with AI feedback
- IELTS Simon — best free model answers
- Cambridge IELTS books 17-19 — official sample answers
Best Free Speaking Practice
- Band9Prep free tier — only free source with AI feedback
- British Council sample Speaking video — shows what the real test looks like
- IELTS Liz Speaking lessons — comprehensive YouTube content
The Optimal Free Combo
For most candidates on a $0 budget, the optimal free combination is:
- British Council or IDP free test for the first Listening and Reading diagnostic
- Band9Prep free tier for daily Listening, Reading, and limited Writing/Speaking feedback
- Cambridge IELTS 17, 18, or 19 (used) for monthly full mock tests
- IELTS Simon or IELTS Liz for Writing strategy and model answers
Total cost: $0-30 (just used Cambridge books if needed). The combination gives you:
- Authentic test simulation
- Daily AI feedback
- Official sample answers
- Strategy lessons
4-Week Study Plan Using Only Free Resources
This plan assumes you are starting at 5.5-6.0 and targeting 6.5-7.0. It uses only free resources.
| Week | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | British Council free test (1 test) | British Council free test (1 test) | IELTS Simon model answers (1/day) | IELTS Liz videos (2-3) |
| 2 | Band9Prep free Listening (1/day) | Band9Prep free Reading (1/day) | Band9Prep free Writing feedback (3-4 essays) | Band9Prep free Speaking (3-4 recordings) |
| 3 | Cambridge test 1 (Listening) | Cambridge test 1 (Reading) | Band9Prep free Writing (4-5 essays) | Band9Prep free Speaking (4-5 recordings) |
| 4 | Cambridge test 2 (Listening) | Cambridge test 2 (Reading) | Cambridge test 1 (Writing, self-evaluate) | Cambridge test 1 (Speaking, record and self-evaluate) |
This plan is realistic on a $0 budget but requires:
- Self-evaluation for Writing and Speaking (which is unreliable)
- Discipline to practice daily
- The ability to identify your own weak areas
Limitations of Free Resources
Free resources are excellent for:
- Reading and Listening practice (right or wrong)
- Test format familiarity
- Vocabulary and grammar
- Writing and Speaking model answers
Free resources are weak for:
- Criterion-level Writing feedback
- Criterion-level Speaking feedback
- Progress tracking
- Personalized strategy
- Pronunciation correction
- Conversation practice
The feedback gap is the bottleneck for most candidates. If you are stuck at 6.0-6.5 in Writing or Speaking, free resources alone are unlikely to get you to 7.0. You need at least one paid feedback source (AI or human tutor).
When to Upgrade to Paid
Consider upgrading to a paid platform (Band9Prep $9.99/month or similar) when:
- You have plateaued at 6.0-6.5 in Writing or Speaking
- You cannot reliably self-evaluate your writing against sample answers
- You have been practicing for 4+ weeks without measurable improvement
- You are within 8-12 weeks of your official test date
The $9.99/month cost is significantly less than the $230+ IELTS test retake fee. The cost-benefit is clear.
Common Mistakes Students Make with Free Resources
Mistake 1: Using Only Free Resources and Plateauing
Most candidates who use only free resources plateau at 6.0-6.5. The reason: free resources do not provide feedback on your own attempts. Without feedback, you cannot tell whether your writing and speaking are improving.
The fix: add at least one paid feedback source (AI or human tutor) for daily practice.
Mistake 2: Saving Cambridge Tests for "Later"
Many candidates want to save Cambridge tests for the "real" prep phase, then run out of time. The diagnostic value of Cambridge is highest when you have a clear study plan.
The fix: take the first Cambridge test within the first 1-2 weeks. Use the diagnostic insights to shape your study plan.
Mistake 3: Trusting Free Scores Without Context
Free practice test scores are estimates, not guarantees. A free 6.5 might be 5.5 or 7.0 on the official test.
The fix: treat free scores as a range. Use them to identify weak areas, not to predict your official score.
How to Get Started
If you are starting from scratch on a $0 budget:
- Take the British Council free Listening and Reading tests
- Score using the official band conversion table
- Identify your weak areas
- Use Band9Prep free tier for daily practice
- Read IELTS Simon's Writing model answers
- Watch IELTS Liz's Speaking videos
- After 4 weeks, take a Cambridge test as a checkpoint
- If plateaued, consider upgrading to Band9Prep paid ($9.99/month)