Free English Level Tests Compared: Which One Should You Take?
Free level tests answer different questions. Some give you a certificate for a CV, some point you to the right exam, and some just tell you where to start studying.
On this page
If you want a free result you can put on a CV or LinkedIn, take the EF SET: it's free, gives a CEFR level, and the certificate is included. If you're choosing between Cambridge exams, Cambridge's own 25-question test points you to the right one. If you just want to know where to start studying, a short placement test such as the British Council's or Fluentra's is enough. None of the free tests here replaces an official exam for a university or a visa.
A note on fairness: Fluentra makes one of the tests on this page, so we aren't neutral. Everything we say about the other tests comes from their providers' own pages, checked on 13 November 2026, and the sources are listed at the end. Tests change, so check the details before you rely on a result.
The short comparison
| Test | CEFR result | Length | Account | What you get | Skills | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EF SET (2 skills) | Yes, a score from 0 to 100 mapped to pre-A1 to C2 | About 50 minutes, adaptive | Linked to your email | A free EF SET certificate as a personal link | Reading and listening | Free |
| EF SET (4 skills) | Yes, A1 to C2 | About 90 minutes | Linked to your email | A free EF SET certificate as a personal link | Reading, listening, speaking and writing (speaking and writing scored by AI) | Free |
| Cambridge "Test your English" (General English) | Not a level as such: a score out of 25 and the Cambridge exams it suits | 25 questions; no time limit stated | We weren't asked to sign up | A score and suggested exams. No certificate | Grammar and vocabulary in sentences and short conversations | Free |
| British Council LearnEnglish level test | An approximate level | Not stated | A free LearnEnglish account; you must be 18 or over | An approximate level and LearnEnglish materials to match. No certificate | Grammar, vocabulary and phrasing | Free |
| EnglishScore (British Council app) | Yes, a score up to 599, up to C1 | Core skills 30 to 40 minutes; speaking 10 to 15; writing 20 to 30 | An account in the app | Free test result; a British Council Professional Certificate (PDF) from US$24.99 | Grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening, plus optional speaking and writing | Free to take; certificate paid |
| Fluentra level test | An estimated level from A1 to C1 | 30 questions, about 12 to 15 minutes, no timer | None | An estimated level and the Fluentra course to start with. No certificate | Grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening | Free |
Placement test or official exam?
This is the difference that matters most. A placement test estimates your level so you can choose what to study next. An official exam is taken under controlled conditions, and its result is accepted by universities, employers or immigration authorities that ask for it. The tests on this page sit at different points between the two.
- Placement guides: Cambridge's test calls itself a quick check, not an official exam, and says the score is only a guide. The British Council describes its result as an approximate indication. Fluentra's result is an estimated level to help you choose a course.
- Certificates for a CV: the EF SET gives a free certificate and says its tests are aligned with the CEFR. EF also says it doesn't check test-takers' identity and keeps no list of organisations that accept it, so think of it as a strong self-assessment you can share, not an admissions exam. EnglishScore is proctored through your phone's camera, and its paid certificate carries a verification ID.
- Official exams: for a university place or a visa, you'll usually need an exam the organisation names, such as IELTS, a Cambridge exam, TOEFL or the Duolingo English Test. These are paid. Duolingo's official blog lists its test at US$70, taken online in about an hour. Always check what the place you're applying to accepts.
EF SET: the fullest free result
EF Education First runs three tests. The 2-skill EF SET takes about 50 minutes and covers reading and listening. The 4-skill version takes about 90 minutes and adds speaking and writing, which EF says are scored by AI. Both adapt to your answers, give a score per skill on a 0 to 100 scale that EF maps to CEFR levels from pre-A1 to C2, and come with a free certificate you can link to from a CV or LinkedIn. There's also a 20-question practice test of about 15 minutes, which gives a rough reading and listening estimate but no certificate.
Two practical points from EF's own FAQ: you can take each certifying test once every 90 days, and a retake updates your certificate. Choose the EF SET when you want a free, shareable result and have the best part of an hour.
Cambridge "Test your English": to choose a Cambridge exam
Cambridge offers four free online tests: General English, for schools, business and young learners. The General English test has 25 multiple-choice questions where you complete a sentence or a short conversation, so it checks grammar and vocabulary in context, not listening, speaking or writing. Your result is a score out of 25 and the Cambridge exams that suit it, for example B2 First, C1 Advanced or Linguaskill. Cambridge is clear that it isn't an official exam and the score is only a guide.
Choose it when you're preparing for a Cambridge exam and want to know which one to aim for.
British Council: a level test and a certificate app
The British Council has two different things. Its LearnEnglish website has a free online level test covering grammar, vocabulary and phrasing, which gives an approximate indication of your level and points you to its free lessons. You need a free LearnEnglish account, and registration is for people aged 18 or over. The page doesn't say how many questions there are or how long it takes.
EnglishScore is a separate British Council mobile app. Taking its tests is free. Core skills (grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening) takes 30 to 40 minutes, and there are optional speaking and writing tests. The app uses your front camera during the test, and its certificate, a British Council Professional Certificate as a PDF with a verification ID, costs from US$24.99. Choose EnglishScore when an employer wants a verifiable result and you're happy to test on your phone under camera supervision.
Fluentra's level test: to choose where to start
Fluentra's free level test has 30 questions in two parts and needs no account. The first part covers a range of levels and the second adapts to how you did. It includes grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening, there's no timer, and most people finish in about 12 to 15 minutes.
The result is an estimated CEFR level from A1 to C1, with the Fluentra course to start with. It's a placement guide, not a certificate: it doesn't test speaking or writing, and it doesn't estimate levels above C1. If you need proof of your level for someone else, take the EF SET or an official exam instead.
Which test should you choose?
| If you want to… | Take |
|---|---|
| Add a free result to your CV or LinkedIn | EF SET (2 or 4 skills) |
| Show an employer a verifiable certificate | EnglishScore, with the paid certificate |
| Pick the right Cambridge exam | Cambridge "Test your English" |
| Find free British Council lessons at your level | The LearnEnglish level test |
| Know where to start a course, in about 15 minutes, with no account | Fluentra's level test, or the EF SET practice test |
| Apply to a university or for a visa | None of these: the exam the organisation names |
If your result is A1, Fluentra's Beginner English gives its instructions and explanations in your choice of 20 languages. Fluentra courses run from A1 to C1, and Lessons 1 and 2 of each are free once you sign in.
After that, Full Access is $12 a month or $89 a year in the US, Canada and most of Europe; prices are set by country.
If you're also choosing an app, see how Fluentra compares with Duolingo, or the English learning apps we compared.
Whatever you take, use the result as a starting point. Our guide to CEFR levels explains what each level means in practice, and what B1 English looks like is a good check if your result lands in the middle.
Getting a fair result
- Take it when you're rested, in a quiet place, with headphones for listening.
- Don't look words up. A result that's higher than your real level puts you in a course that's too hard.
- If two tests disagree by one level, they're probably measuring different skills. Cambridge's and the British Council's LearnEnglish test focus on grammar and vocabulary; EF SET and Fluentra include listening.
- Retest after a few months of study, not a few days. Levels rarely change that fast.
Sources
Checked on 13 November 2026:
Questions people ask
Which free English level test is the most accurate?
They measure different things, so there's no single answer. The 4-skill EF SET covers the most skills, including speaking and writing. Cambridge's and the British Council's LearnEnglish test focus on grammar and vocabulary. Fluentra's covers grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening and is meant for choosing a course.
Is a free level test certificate accepted for university or a visa?
Usually not. Universities and immigration authorities name the exams they accept, such as IELTS, Cambridge exams, TOEFL or the Duolingo English Test. Check with the organisation before you book anything.
Is Fluentra's level test an official exam?
No. It gives an estimated CEFR level from A1 to C1 to help you choose where to start. It isn't a certificate, it doesn't test speaking or writing, and it doesn't estimate C2.
Do I need an account to take these tests?
Fluentra's needs none, and Cambridge's didn't ask us to sign up. The EF SET links your result to your email, the British Council's LearnEnglish test needs a free account for people aged 18 or over, and EnglishScore needs an account in its app.
How long should I wait before retaking a level test?
A few months of study. EF SET allows one attempt at each certifying test every 90 days, and Fluentra suggests about 30 days, because your level rarely changes in a few days.
