How we picked
This list covers prep tools that have specifically updated for the January 2026 TOEFL redesign — the adaptive Reading/Listening, the 1–6 band scale, and new task types like Listen and Repeat, Build a Sentence, and the Interview section. We wrote this one ourselves (TOEFL Exam Prep is #1 below, obviously), but we've tried to describe every other tool fairly, including where it beats us. If you want the deep dive on any single comparison, each entry links to a full write-up.
1. TOEFL Exam Prep — best for instant AI feedback that targets your weak spots
Built natively for the 2026 format from the ground up. Speaking and Writing are graded by AI in seconds against the published ETS rubrics, and every task type gets a dedicated practice lane. The part most tools don't do: after every attempt, it looks at which task types you're actually scoring worst on and keeps fresh, right-leveled sets ready for those specifically, stepping you up to harder material automatically once you've earned it. Plans start at $49/mo with unlimited practice and grading on every tier, and there's a free instant score estimate with no signup required to try it.
Best for: test-takers who want to submit an answer, immediately know their score and why, and have their next practice set built around their actual weaknesses instead of a fixed curriculum.
2. Magoosh — best for official ETS-licensed content
The most established name in the category. Its real edge is official ETS-licensed practice questions delivered through a structured, self-paced video-lesson course, updated for the 2026 format. It's a course you study through rather than a drill-and-grade tool.
Best for: learners who want ETS-authored questions specifically and prefer a lesson-first curriculum. Full comparison →
3. TestGlider — best for full-mock volume
A web-based platform with a large library of full-length TOEFL 2026 mock tests, AI scoring, and answer explanations, plus IELTS/PTE coverage. Its strength is repetition and exam-pacing stamina; some users report its AI Speaking/Writing scores running stricter or looser than official results, so treat it as a trend signal rather than an exact predictor.
Best for: test-takers whose main gap is stamina across the full ~2-hour test. Full comparison →
4. BestMyTest — best for a formal score guarantee
Backs its plans with a score-improvement guarantee and human graders for Speaking and Writing — a real person reads your answer, not just an algorithm. The tradeoff is turnaround: human grading typically runs 24–48 hours per attempt, so it suits test-takers with weeks to spare more than a last-minute cram.
Best for: learners who value a guarantee and don't need same-session feedback. Full comparison →
5. PrepEx — best for short daily drills across three exams
A newer AI-powered platform covering TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE, with a "Petra" AI speaking coach, flashcards, grammar drills, and a 7-practice warmup path before your first baseline test. Its high-frequency, small-daily-rep format is a genuinely good habit-building approach; the tradeoff is that TOEFL content shares space with two other exams rather than being the sole focus.
Best for: learners still deciding between TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE, or who want daily micro-practice. Full comparison →
Also worth using: ETS's own free resources
Whichever paid tool you pick, it's worth pairing it with ETS's own free TOEFL TestReady materials — they're written by the test maker, so there's no substitute for seeing the source directly, even if they don't offer the grading or drilling depth of a dedicated prep tool.
The bottom line
There's no single "best" tool independent of what you need: ETS-licensed content (Magoosh), mock-test volume (TestGlider), a formal guarantee (BestMyTest), multi-exam daily drills (PrepEx), or instant AI-graded feedback built specifically for the 2026 format (TOEFL Exam Prep). If instant feedback and native 2026 coverage is what you're after, that's exactly what we built.