Overview
IELTS Writing Checker is a specialized tool designed to score and improve IELTS Writing Task 1 and Task 2 responses. It evaluates essays based on the four official IELTS criteria: Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Each review provides an estimated overall score, criterion scores, specific evaluations, and actionable next steps. Paid plans unlock sentence-level annotations, correction suggestions, and rewrites, with up to 50 reviews per month. The tool claims high accuracy, with an average error of 0.49 points across 73 officially scored responses, compared to ChatGPT (0.86), Engnovate (0.90), and Writing9 (1.62). Free accounts include 3 score previews each month. It supports Academic Task 1 reports, General Training Task 1 letters, and Task 2 essays.
Big5Test offers Big Five, 16-type, and Enneagram personality questionnaires for self-reflection and entertainment. Users can take a test without an account and receive a free character, personality label, and short result. A detailed report is available as an optional one-time $2.99 purchase, with no subscription. The tests are explicitly not for diagnosis. The platform emphasizes a playful, non-scientific approach with original characters and privacy features.
While both products involve assessment, they serve entirely different purposes: IELTS Writing Checker is an exam preparation tool, whereas Big5Test is a personality exploration platform.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | IELTS Writing Checker | Big5Test |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Purpose | Score and improve IELTS Writing tasks | Personality questionnaires for self-reflection |
| Scoring Methodology | Four official IELTS criteria | IPIP items for Big Five; original questions for 16-type and Enneagram |
| Output Detail | Overall score, criterion scores, evaluations, next steps; paid: annotations, corrections, rewrites | Free: character, label, short description; paid: full dimension scores, interpretation tables, next steps |
| Free Tier | 3 score previews per month | Free test completion with basic result |
| Paid Offering | Subscription (Monthly/Yearly) with up to 50 reviews/month | One-time $2.99 detailed report |
| Account Requirement | Free account required | No account required |
| Turnaround Time | ~20 seconds per review | Immediate after test completion |
| Accuracy/Validation | Claims average error 0.49 points; 78.1% within 0.5 points | No scientific validation; for entertainment |
| Content Types | Academic Task 1, General Training Task 1, Task 2 | Big Five, 16-type, Enneagram |
| Privacy/Sharing | Results saved to account | Private by default; optional share link |
Pricing
IELTS Writing Checker offers a free tier with 3 score previews per month. Paid plans (Monthly or Yearly) unlock full reports, including sentence-level annotations, correction suggestions, and rewrites, and increase the monthly limit to 50 reviews. The Yearly plan includes a 3-day free trial. Exact prices are not specified on the website, but the subscription model suggests recurring costs.
Big5Test is free to take, with basic results (character, personality label, short description) available at no cost and without an account. A detailed report is available for a one-time payment of $2.99, which includes all dimension scores, interpretation tables, and practical next steps. There is no subscription.
Pros and Cons
IELTS Writing Checker
Pros:
- High accuracy: average error of 0.49 points, with 78.1% of estimates within 0.5 points of official score.
- Detailed feedback aligned with official IELTS criteria, including sentence-level annotations and rewrites on paid plans.
- Supports all IELTS Writing task types, including Academic Task 1 visuals.
- Fast turnaround (~20 seconds) and saved results for revision.
Cons:
- Free tier limited to 3 previews per month; full feedback requires paid subscription.
- Not affiliated with IELTS; scores are estimates, not official.
- Subscription model may be costly for occasional users.
Big5Test
Pros:
- Free basic results with no account required.
- Affordable one-time $2.99 detailed report, no subscription.
- Offers three personality frameworks (Big Five, 16-type, Enneagram).
- Privacy-focused with optional share links and no diagnosis claims.
Cons:
- Not a professional assessment; for entertainment only.
- No scientific validation or accuracy claims.
- Detailed report requires payment; free version is limited.
Verdict
IELTS Writing Checker is ideal for IELTS candidates seeking accurate, detailed feedback on writing tasks to improve their scores, while Big5Test suits individuals interested in casual personality exploration and self-reflection. Choose IELTS Writing Checker for serious exam preparation with data-backed scoring, and Big5Test for affordable, fun personality insights without commitment.