What Exam English does

Exam English is a free, ad-supported web platform that provides practice tests and study resources for the major international English as a Second Language (ESL) exams. Founded in 2004 and operated as Exam English Ltd. out of Cambridge (United Kingdom), the platform serves self-study ESL exam candidates worldwide preparing for IELTS (Academic and General), TOEFL and TOEFL Junior, TOEIC, the Cambridge English suite (CPE, CAE, FCE, PET, KET), PTE Academic and PTE General, BEC, BULATS, Michigan ECPE, and Trinity exams. The site also offers supporting grammar and vocabulary modules, an Academic Word List study tool, a CEFR level test, an IELTS Band Score Calculator, and an exam comparison table, with localized versions in Spanish, French, and Chinese to capture non-English-speaking search audiences.

The underlying technology is a web-based practice testing platform featuring interactive multiple-choice questions, timed tests, automated scoring, and audio playback for listening comprehension sections. Content is authored by named ESL examiners and teachers including Stephen Chadwick (site manager), Felicity O'Dell, Naomi Styles, Nik Peachey, Rita Zeinstejer, and Rocco Nigro. The platform extends into native mobile applications on iOS, iPad, Android, and Blackberry covering IELTS, TOEIC, Cambridge, and general English grammar study, with offline functionality on select Android apps. There is no public API, no SDK, and no machine learning or personalization layer in the product.

The business model is product-led growth with no registration, no payment, and no paid tier; monetization is exclusively through third-party advertising served on the website and apps, which funds hosting, development, and a documented monthly charitable donation program to Greenpeace, the International Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, Tree Aid, Woodland Trust, and the World Wildlife Fund. The company is bootstrapped and privately held, with no external institutional investment, no parent company, and 1-10 employees, operating under a GDPR-compliant UK private limited company structure.

Name

Exam English

Legal name

Exam English Ltd.

Website

https://examenglish.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Exam English is a free, ad-supported web and mobile platform offering practice tests for major international ESL exams (IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC, Cambridge English, PTE, BEC), serving self-study English learners preparing for proficiency certifications worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online English Language Learning

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

English Proficiency & International Admissions Exams (TOEFL/IELTS/PTE/Duolingo) Prep (EDANABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Exam Preparation Materials (IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAGAHAE), Certification & Exam Prep eLearning Modules (EDAGAEAL)

Keywords

• English exam preparation
• ESL practice tests
• IELTS preparation
• Online language learning
• English proficiency tests

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Advertising: The website is supported by advertising revenue. Third-party advertising companies serve ads on the website, using cookies to provide targeted advertisements based on user visits. Revenue from advertising covers hosting, development costs, and charitable donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Exam English is a free online platform that provides practice tests for major international English language exams including IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC, Cambridge English (CPE, CAE, FCE, PET, KET), PTE Academic/General, BEC, BULATS, Michigan ECPE, and Trinity exams. The platform also offers grammar and vocabulary resources, CEFR level testing, and band score calculators. All content is delivered free of charge via a web platform and mobile applications, supported entirely by advertising revenue.

Product overview

Exam English is a free online platform for English language exam preparation offering practice tests across major international ESL certifications. The core product portfolio includes IELTS, TOEFL (including TOEFL Junior), TOEIC, Cambridge English exams (CPE, CAE, FCE, PET, KET), PTE Academic/General, BULATS, BEC, Michigan ECPE, and Trinity. Supporting the exam practice are Level Testing, Grammar Practice, and Vocabulary Practice modules. The company also offers mobile applications for iOS and Android covering IELTS, TOEIC, Cambridge English, and general English grammar study. All materials align with CEFR levels A1 through C2. The platform is ad-supported and operated by Exam English Ltd.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IELTS Practice Tests Free online practice tests for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), covering Academic and General Training modules with practice for listening, reading, writing, and speaking components.
• TOEFL Practice Tests Free online practice tests for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), including reading, listening, speaking, and structure/written expression practice.
• TOEFL Junior Practice Tests Free online practice tests for the TOEFL Junior exam designed for students ages 11+, covering reading comprehension, listening comprehension, and language form and meaning.
• TOEIC Practice Tests Free online practice tests for the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), including listening, reading, speaking, and writing components.
• Cambridge English Practice Tests Free online practice tests for Cambridge English exams including CPE (C2), CAE (C1), FCE (B2), PET (B1), and KET (A2).
• PTE Academic and PTE General Practice Tests Free online practice tests for Pearson Test of English Academic and PTE General, covering listening, reading, speaking, and writing components at various CEFR levels.
• BULATS Practice Tests Free online practice tests for the Business Language Testing Service (BULATS), a multi-level business English assessment tool published by Cambridge English.
• Michigan ECPE Practice Tests Free online practice tests for the Michigan Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE), a C2 level English proficiency exam.
• Business English Certificates (BEC) Practice Tests Free online practice tests for Cambridge Business English Certificates including BEC Preliminary (B1), BEC Vantage (B2), and BEC Higher (C1) at various CEFR levels.
• Trinity Practice Tests Free online practice tests for Trinity College London English language exams.
• English Level Test Free online placement test to determine a learner's CEFR English level (A1 to C2) to help identify suitable exam preparation paths.
• Grammar Practice Tests Free online grammar practice tests covering English grammar at all CEFR levels, including verb tenses, prepositions, and phrasal verbs.
• Vocabulary Practice Tests Free online vocabulary practice tests including the Academic Word List (570 words) divided into 10 groups by frequency, plus vocabulary by topic and CEFR level.
• IELTS Mobile Apps Mobile applications for IELTS preparation including IELTS Listening (40+ recorded conversations and monologues, 75+ listening questions) available on iOS, iPad, and Android; plus IELTS General Reading, IELTS Academic Reading, and IELTS Writing apps.
• TOEIC Mobile Apps Mobile applications for TOEIC preparation including TOEIC Listening and TOEIC Reading apps (100 questions with various practice test types), available on iOS and Android platforms with offline functionality.
• Cambridge English Mobile Apps Mobile applications for Cambridge English exam preparation including CAE Reading & Use of English and FCE Reading & Use of English apps.
• General English Mobile Apps Mobile applications for general English study including English Grammar Practice, English Tenses, English Prepositions, and English Phrasal Verbs apps.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% free practice tests for all major international ESL exams

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• IELTS Practice TestsminorOthersPartner website providing IELTS-specific practice tests. Cross-linked from Exam English under partner sites section.
• Language LevelminorOthersPartner website related to language level assessment. Cross-linked from Exam English under partner sites section.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• IELTS Practice Tests: Direct partner site that provides IELTS-specific practice tests. It is explicitly cross-linked from Exam English and operates the same free, ad-supported model for the same IELTS exam prep audience, making it the closest functional comparable.
• Magoosh: Major freemium test prep platform covering IELTS, TOEFL, and other standardized exams with both free practice content and paid courses. Comparable in subject matter (English proficiency exam prep) but differentiated by a VC-backed subscription model versus Exam English's ad-supported free model.
• E2Language: Online platform offering PTE, IELTS, TOEFL, and OET preparation with free practice tests alongside paid courses and AI-powered scoring. Directly comparable in target audience (international English exam candidates) and exam portfolio breadth.
• Road to Grammar: Free online grammar practice resource for English learners covering verb tenses, conditionals, and other exam-relevant grammar topics. Comparable as a free, ad-supported ESL learning site targeting exam-prep learners, though narrower in exam-specific content.
• ESL-Lab: Free ESL listening practice site offering quizzes across difficulty levels with audio content. Comparable model (free, ad-supported, ESL exam-relevant) and serves overlapping audience of self-directed English learners preparing for listening sections of standardized exams.

Emerging players

• IELTS Liz: IELTS-focused preparation site offering free lessons, tips, and practice tests built around a personal brand. Comparable audience and content type but narrower exam coverage (IELTS only) and a more personality-driven model.
• Duolingo English Test: AI-powered online English proficiency test accepted by universities and institutions worldwide. While primarily a test delivery product rather than prep, it competes for the same test-taker audience and increasingly offers free practice integrations, pressuring free prep sites like Exam English.

Broad incumbents

• British Council LearnEnglish: Official British Council free English learning platform offering videos, audio, games, and exam practice for IELTS and other tests. Comparable as a free ESL/exam prep resource but operates as a large institutional player with broader scope than Exam English's exam-focused niche.
• Cambridge English Official Practice: Official practice materials from Cambridge University Press for CPE, CAE, FCE, PET, and KET exams. Directly competes with Exam English's Cambridge English product line but with official test-maker authority and brand recognition.
• ETS Official TOEFL Practice: Official TOEFL test-maker's free and paid practice materials including sample questions and prep guides. Competes head-to-head with Exam English's TOEFL product and benefits from official accreditation that Exam English cannot match.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_examenglish
• Facebookfacebook.com/examenglish
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/exam-english

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Exam English