What Happened to IELTS.gg? Where It Went and the Free Alternative (2026)

Last updated: August 2026.

Quick answer: IELTS.gg is not down. The ielts.gg address still opens, but it now redirects to a rebranded platform under a new name and domain. The service is still running — only the brand changed. If you originally went to IELTS.gg looking for a free way to practise IELTS with AI feedback, this guide explains what happened and points you to a genuinely free alternative.

Is IELTS.gg down or gone?

No. If you type ielts.gg into your browser today, the site does not show an error — it performs a permanent redirect to a new web address. In plain terms, the company kept its product but retired the IELTS.gg brand name and moved everything to a new domain.

So if you bookmarked IELTS.gg and suddenly landed on a page with a different name, nothing is broken. You were redirected on purpose.

What actually changed

Three concrete things changed with the rebrand:

1. The brand name. The product no longer markets itself as "IELTS.gg." It now uses a new name (its landing page even labels itself "formerly IELTS.GG").
2. The domain. The old ielts.gg address permanently redirects to the new site.
3. An affiliation notice. The new site carries a disclaimer stating it is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or certified by IELTS or its administering organisations.

That last point is the most telling. IELTS is a registered trademark of the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge — the three official partners that own and run the exam. Independent preparation tools are allowed to mention IELTS to describe what they help with, but building the trademark into your own brand name is a different matter, and prep platforms sometimes rebrand to keep their brand clear of the trademark. We can only report what changed; the company itself is the only source that can confirm exactly why.

What this means for you

For your actual test prep, not much changes on their side: it is the same paid product with a new logo. But a rebrand is a good moment to re-check what you are paying for, because the underlying model did not change:

• It is still a pay-first platform — there is no permanent free plan, and historically no free trial, so you commit before you can fully try it.
• Its pricing is shown only after a signup quiz, so you cannot compare the cost up front.
• It concentrates on Writing and Speaking AI scoring rather than all four IELTS skills.

If those were the reasons you were shopping for an alternative in the first place, the rebrand does not solve them.

The free alternative: IELTS 9

If you came to IELTS.gg wanting to practise IELTS without paying before you can try it, that is exactly the gap IELTS 9 fills — and it kept its name.

• 11 genuinely free tools, no sign-up, no card. A band score calculator, Listening and Reading score converters, a word counter, a speaking timer, a reading-speed test, and an essay-topic generator. You can use these right now without an account.
• All four skills, not just two. AI feedback on Writing and Speaking, plus timed Reading passages and mock Listening audio, so you prepare for the whole exam in one place.
• A real 7-day free trial. Every plan starts with a 7-day trial with full AI feedback across all four skills, so you try the complete platform before you pay a cent.
• 28+ study guides and open pricing. Guides that explain how to improve (not just a score), and pricing shown openly rather than hidden behind a quiz.

For a full, side-by-side breakdown of the two platforms — features, pricing model, and what each does best — see our IELTS.gg comparison and free alternative. If you are also weighing other options, our IELTS vs TOEFL vs PTE 2026 guide compares the major tests.

The bottom line

IELTS.gg didn't disappear — it rebranded and redirected to a new name, and its core paid model is unchanged. If your goal was simply to score a practice essay or check your band for free, you don't need to hunt for the new name: start with IELTS 9's free tools and a 7-day trial, and keep your prep in one place that isn't going anywhere.