Comparison
Writing9 vs Gradeful
Both grade IELTS Task 2 essays. The difference is how you pay and how honest the score is. Here is the whole picture, side by side.
| Gradeful | Writing9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free graded essay | Yes — your first full report is free | Essay checking is Premium-only — no free graded check |
| Pricing | $14.99/mo or $69/yr — cancel anytime, one click | Weekly, monthly and yearly auto-renewing subscriptions (from $7.99/week) |
| Scoring basis | The four official IELTS band descriptors | AI band score across the same four criteria |
| Score calibration | Calibrated against inflation — rounds down, not up | Users report scores that run optimistic |
| Feedback | Sentence-level rewrites with the criterion each one costs | Band scores and sample essays; less sentence-level rewriting |
The bottom line
Writing9 keeps its essay checker behind a paywall — there's no free graded check — and its users report scores that run optimistic. Gradeful grades your first essay free and is calibrated to be honest, so the band you see is close to the band you'd actually get. Keep going on a plan you can cancel in one click.
If you only need to check one essay, Gradeful costs nothing — your first report is free, no card. If you are grinding toward test day, an honestly calibrated score, even half a band pessimistic, beats a flattering one that leaves you surprised on the day. And when you’re done, you cancel in one click.
Prefer the long version? Read the Writing9 alternative guide.
Grade your essay both ways — start free
Your first full report is free. After that, unlimited essays for $14.99/month or $69/year.
Cancel in one click — we’d rather earn the renewal.
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