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Upscore vs Bandly
Upscore is built around timed Task 2 mock tests with quote by quote feedback, and it has a speaking test in alpha. Bandly is a Writing checker for Task 2 and General Training letters. Here is where each one fits.
you mainly practise Task 2 under mock test conditions, you want a speaking practice test as well, or you like its free side tools.
you also write General Training Task 1 letters, or you want each of the four Writing criteria estimated separately with the sentences behind it.
At a glance
As of 26 October 2026. Numbered sources are listed at the end of the page. Plans and features change, so check each site before you decide.
| Upscore | Bandly | |
|---|---|---|
| Tasks covered | Writing Task 2. Its FAQ says Task 1 is not yet possible.Source: 1 | Writing only: Task 2 essays and General Training Task 1 letters. Academic Task 1 needs the chart image, and the web app cannot take one yet. |
| Practice format | Mock exams on 30 Task 2 topics, plus checking your own essay.Source: 1, 2 | Paste your own question and answer. No mock test mode. |
| Free use | Its homepage FAQ says two checks are free, then paid; its pricing page lists one free mock test on the free plan. A free mock test without registration is offered.Source: 1, 2 | Your first essays are free, no card needed. |
| Speaking | A speaking test with an AI examiner across all three parts, labelled an alpha version, listed as free on its tools page.Source: 3, 4 | No. No Speaking, Reading or Listening scoring. A free band score calculator converts Reading and Listening raw scores. |
| Other free tools | Word counter, essay templates, an overall score calculator and a collocation game.Source: 4 | A band score calculator, a sample answer library and writing guides. |
| How it describes the score | Its FAQ says the difference is most of the time not more than 0.5, but sometimes up to 1.5 band, and suggests 3 to 4 submissions.Source: 1 | Not yet compared against examiner marked essays, so no accuracy figure is published. In our own tests it runs generous, most of all on Task Response. |
Where Upscore is better
- Mock test practice. Upscore is built around taking a Task 2 under exam style conditions, which is closer to test day than pasting an essay you wrote at leisure.
- Speaking as well. It has a speaking test with an AI examiner, labelled alpha. Bandly has nothing for Speaking.
- It publishes an error figure. Upscore states how far its scores usually land from examiner scores. Bandly has no measured figure to publish yet, so it publishes none.
Where Bandly is better
- General Training letters. Bandly scores General Training Task 1 letters as well as Task 2. Upscore says Task 1 is not available yet.
- Criteria shown separately. Each of the four Writing criteria gets its own estimate against the public band descriptors, with the sentences behind it, and a range when the result is near a boundary.
One thing Bandly is not better at is the number itself. Its band estimates have not been compared against examiner marked essays, and in our own tests they run generous, most of all on Task Response. Read the guide to what a writing checker can and cannot see before you rely on any checker’s band, ours included.
Using both
A reasonable split: take mock tests where the format matters, then paste the same essay into a second checker and see whether both flag the same sentences. Agreement on a sentence is more useful than agreement on a number.
Questions
Does Upscore check Task 1?
Not as of 26 October 2026. Its FAQ says checking Task 1 is not yet possible.
Is Upscore free?
Partly. Its homepage FAQ says two checks are free and then paid, and its pricing page lists one free mock test. Its speaking test and side tools are listed as free.
Which gives the right band?
Neither result is an IELTS score. Upscore states its own typical gap; Bandly has not been measured against examiners and runs generous on Task Response in our tests.
Sources
- Upscore homepage and FAQ: https://upscore.ai/, checked 2026-10-26
- Upscore pricing: https://upscore.ai/pricing, checked 2026-10-26
- Upscore speaking test: https://upscore.ai/speaking, checked 2026-10-26
- Upscore tools: https://upscore.ai/tools, checked 2026-10-26
- Bandly terms: https://bandly.shop/terms, checked 2026-10-26
Facts about Upscore were taken from the public pages above on the dates shown. Bandly facts come from how Bandly works today. Upscore is a trademark of its owner; Bandly is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by it. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Email hello@bandly.shop and we will fix it.
Other comparisons
See what Bandly says about your essay
Paste a Task 2 essay or a General Training letter and get an estimated band for each of the four criteria, with the sentences behind it. It is a practice estimate from software, not an IELTS score.
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