Comparison

IELTS vs Band 9

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

IELTS

Prepare for IELTS Academic and General Training exams with comprehensive practice materials for reading, writing, speaking, vocabulary, and grammar. Improve your English skills step-by-step anytime, anywhere to build confidence for the official test.

Highlights
  • IELTS Reading practice
  • IELTS Writing practice
  • IELTS Speaking practice
  • Vocabulary builder
  • Grammar review
  • Writing expressions
  • Academic & General Training modules
Features
Read full description

IELTS Exam Prep helps you prepare for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training with clear practice materials for reading, writing, speaking, vocabulary, grammar, and writing expressions. Study step by step and improve your English skills through regular practice. The app is designed for learners who want to prepare anytime, anywhere, and build confidence before the real IELTS test. Main features: • IELTS Reading Practice Practice IELTS-style reading questions and improve your ability to understand different types of texts. • IELTS Writing Practice Prepare for IELTS writing tasks with useful questions, ideas, and writing support. • IELTS Speaking Practice Practice common IELTS speaking topics and improve your confidence for real exam-style answers. • Vocabulary Section Learn useful English words for IELTS, including common words, synonyms, antonyms, phrasal verbs, idioms, and more. • Grammar Points Review important grammar rules with simple explanations and examples. • Writing Expressions Study useful sentence patterns and expressions to make your writing clearer and more natural. • Academic and General Training Use practice content for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. IELTS Exam Prep is suitable for learners who want to improve their English skills, prepare for the IELTS test, and study consistently every day. We are always working to improve the app and would love to hear your feedback. Contact us: hsk@knongdai.com Privacy Policy: https://academic.knongdai.com/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Band 9

Master the IELTS Speaking test with detailed, examiner-level feedback on 18 criteria. Practice unlimited mock tests, receive instant scores and corrections, and track your progress to achieve a Band 7+ score.

Highlights
  • Examiner-level feedback on 18 criteria
  • Unlimited mock tests
  • Instant band score and detailed corrections
  • Progress tracking
  • 150+ Part 2 topic questions
  • 30+ proven strategies
Read full description

**Stop guessing what examiners want. Get examiner-level feedback on 18 unique criteria.** Master the IELTS Speaking test with Band 9 — the only app that shows you exactly what to improve across all three test parts. Practice unlimited mock tests, get instant detailed feedback, and reach Band 7+. What Makes Band 9 Different Most apps give you a score. We show you why — and how to improve. Get feedback on 18 part-specific criteria based on what real IELTS examiners assess: Part 1: Are you giving reasons? Using varied vocabulary? Opening with conversational phrases like "Actually..." or "To be honest..."? Part 2: Did you cover all cue card points? Maintain clear narrative structure? Use descriptive, vivid language throughout? Part 3: Are you building claim + reason + example arguments? Generalizing beyond personal stories? Using academic vocabulary correctly? Each part is evaluated with unique metrics — from conversational ease in Part 1 to argument depth in Part 3 — so you know exactly what separates Band 6 from Band 8. Unlimited Mock Tests with Realistic Examiner Voices Take full-length IELTS Speaking tests with diverse examiner accents. Experience all three parts just like the real exam, then receive immediate feedback with your estimated band score, detailed grammar corrections, vocabulary improvements, and specific insights on what helped or hurt your performance. Get results in under 30 seconds. 150+ Part 2 Topic Questions Master the monologue with confidence across diverse topics. Practice describing people, places, and experiences with full preparation time and instant, detailed feedback on every answer. 30+ Proven Strategies Learn high-scoring answer patterns for all three test parts. Master techniques like giving strong opinions, comparing viewpoints, and organizing extended responses. Practice applying each strategy and get scored on your execution. Improve with every attempt. Know Your Band Score. Track Your Progress. See your estimated band score after every mock test. Track improvement over time across Grammar Accuracy, Vocabulary Range, Fluency, Pronunciation, and Answer Development. Focus on what matters most for Band 7+. Designed for Band 7+ Students Whether you're applying to university or pursuing immigration, Band 9 helps you master the details that separate good scores from great scores. Stop practicing blind. Start practicing with precision. Try free for 3 days. Unlimited access to all features. No commitment required. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

IELTS4 screens
Band 94 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Band 9 at every 9 days against IELTS's every 3 months. IELTS's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. IELTS sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Band 9 sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for IELTS against 5.0 for Band 9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

IELTS ships an update every 3 months, Band 9 every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
IELTS versus Band 9: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterIELTSBand 9
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB116 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperEa Hang KhovSteven Grace

Customer experience

IELTS

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Band 9

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

IELTS

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Plan$4.991 Month
  • Yearly Plan$29.991 Year
9 purchases

Band 9

Subscriptions3
  • Band 9 Plus$4.997 Days
  • Band 9 Plus$9.991 Month
  • Band 9 Plus$24.993 Months
One-time6
  • Starter$6.99
  • Top Up 900$6.99
  • Booster$8.99
Show 3 more
  • Top Up 2000$8.99
  • Ace$24.99
  • Top Up 12000$24.99

Questions

Is IELTS free?
IELTS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Band 9 free?
Band 9 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, IELTS or Band 9?
IELTS and Band 9 are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do IELTS or Band 9 have ads?
Neither IELTS nor Band 9 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, IELTS or Band 9?
IELTS ships an update every 3 months, and Band 9 every 9 days. Most recently, IELTS was updated on November 3, 2026 and Band 9 on November 4, 2026.

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