The best Duolingo English Test prep, compared
Eight places to practise for the DET, checked against the real test on the same points. Every fact about another site was read from its own pages on 14 October 2026, and each one links to its source.
- Duolingo’s own practice test, six prep platforms and this site
- Measured against the real test: 13 question types, about an hour, 10–160 with eight subscores
- No ratings or stars: what each site says, with “not stated” where it says nothing
What the real Duolingo English Test looks like
A practice test is only as useful as its match with the real one, so start with what the real one is. Duolingo’s help centre lists 13 question types since the July 2025 update. The test takes about one hour, adapts to your answers, and reports a score from 10 to 160 in steps of 5 with eight subscores.
Two tasks left the test on 1 July 2025: Read Aloud was removed and Listen, Then Speak was replaced by Interactive Speaking. Interactive Writing and Read, Then Speak are still on it. A practice test that still runs the two retired tasks was built for the old test. The full structure is on the test format page, and the scoring on how the DET is scored.
All eight practice options at a glance
The same six points for every option. Duolingo’s own test comes first because it is the reference; the rest are in alphabetical order. Each entry is what that site says about itself on its own pages, read on 14 October 2026.
| Option | Mock tests | The 13 current types | Score report | Writing and speaking feedback | Cost to start | Account needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duolingo’s official practice test | One practice test you can retake as often as you like, about 45 minutes | Duolingo says it uses the same question types as the certified test | An estimated score range | Not stated | Free | Yes |
| Arno | First full mock free, more on paid plans; about one hour each | Lists all 13 | Overall plus the four skill subscores | AI | First mock and practice questions free; plan prices shown after you sign in | Yes (free) |
| DET Mock Tests (this site) | Six full-length mocks, about one hour each | All 13, with two gaps: Write About the Photo twice per mock (the real test has three), and Interactive Speaking as three longer questions (the real test asks six to eight short ones) | 10–160 in steps of 5, all eight subscores, CEFR level | Language-model grading against a rubric, with a note on each answer | Free for a limited time, no card | No |
| DET Ready | No mock tests mentioned; 5,000+ practice questions | Says it covers all the new 2025 types; no list | Not stated | AI feedback on writing; human feedback in the VIP coaching | 15 free questions; from $9.97 for 7 days | Not stated |
| DETPractice | Paid mocks of 45–60 minutes; a free 30-minute practice test | No list for the mock; its pages still name Read Aloud and Listen, Then Speak | Paid: overall plus four skills. Free test: overall only | AI scoring and teacher guidance | Free practice test; plans from $7.90 a month, billed quarterly | For the platform; not for the free test |
| Hilingo | One free full mock; unlimited on paid plans | All 13 | 10–160 with the four combined subscores | AI, scored part by part | One free mock; from $17.99 for 7 days | Yes (email) |
| LandingPrep | The app lists 30 mocks; the page lays out sections totalling about 210 minutes | No task names on the public pages | An instant 10–160 estimate; subscores not stated | Rubric feedback and model answers | Free | No |
| PrepareBuddy | A free DET test of about 60 minutes; says full papers are unlimited | 12 of 13 by its own count; Interactive Speaking not yet built | 10–160 in steps of 5 with subscores | AI examiner, no human | Free tests; sold mainly to institutions | No (free tests) |
Each option in detail
Eight points for each option, in the same order, so you can compare any two directly. “Not stated” means the site’s pages say nothing on that point, not that the feature is missing.
Duolingo’s official practice test
| What its own pages say | |
|---|---|
| What it is | Duolingo’s own practice test, made to show you the format and estimate your current level. |
| Length | About 45 minutes, shorter than the certified test. One test, which you can take again as often as you like. |
| Question types | The same question types as the certified test, in Duolingo’s words. The help article that says so was last edited in November 2024, before the July 2025 update. |
| Adaptive | Yes. |
| Score | An estimated score range. Subscores are not mentioned. |
| Writing and speaking feedback | Not stated. |
| Price and account | Free, with no limit on retakes. You need a Duolingo English Test account first. |
| Where it runs | In a web browser (Chrome recommended). |
Good for: Your first look at the test. It is made by the people who make the exam, so take it at least once. Source: englishtest.duolingo.com, read 14 October 2026.
Arno
| What its own pages say | |
|---|---|
| What it is | An AI prep platform for the DET (it also covers PTE, TOEFL, IELTS, OET and Cambridge). |
| Length | A full mock takes about an hour; one-skill mini mocks take about 15 minutes. The first full mock is free; paid plans give unlimited mocks. |
| Question types | Lists all 13 current types, matching Duolingo’s list. |
| Adaptive | Not stated. |
| Score | An overall score plus Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. |
| Writing and speaking feedback | AI scoring; no human review mentioned. |
| Price and account | Over 30,000 practice questions free. Plan prices sit behind a sign-in. A free account is needed; no card. |
| Where it runs | Web, iOS and Android. |
Good for: A large free question bank and practice on a phone. Source: goarno.io, read 14 October 2026.
DET Mock Tests (this site)
| What its own pages say | |
|---|---|
| What it is | An independent practice site for the Duolingo English Test. Not affiliated with Duolingo. |
| Length | Six full-length mocks of about one hour each, with no questions shared between them, plus four section tests of 14 to 18 minutes. Any test can be run untimed. |
| Question types | All 13 current types in the real order, with two gaps. Write About the Photo appears twice in each mock, while the real test asks it three times. Interactive Speaking asks three questions of 45 to 75 seconds, while the real test asks six to eight shorter ones, each built from your last answer. |
| Adaptive | Yes. |
| Score | An estimate on the 10–160 scale in steps of 5, with a range, a CEFR level and all eight subscores. It is an estimate, not an official result. |
| Writing and speaking feedback | Graded by a language model against a rubric (speech is transcribed first), with feedback on each answer. |
| Price and account | Free for a limited time. No account and no card needed. |
| Where it runs | In a web browser on a computer. Speaking needs a microphone; the camera is never used. |
Good for: Full one-hour mocks with a report on every subscore, without signing up. Source: our mock tests and pricing, read 14 October 2026.
DET Ready
| What its own pages say | |
|---|---|
| What it is | DET prep from a teacher known as Teacher Luke: an AI practice platform, a VIP coaching programme and a DET discount code. Not part of Duolingo’s own “readiness” guidance, despite the name. |
| Length | No mock tests are mentioned. The platform is a bank of over 5,000 practice questions. |
| Question types | Says it covers all the new 2025 question types; no list is given. |
| Adaptive | Not stated. |
| Score | Not stated. |
| Writing and speaking feedback | AI feedback on writing, with 50 AI tokens per plan. The VIP programme adds human feedback from the teacher. |
| Price and account | 15 questions free. Unlimited access: $9.97 for 7 days, $12.97 for 30 days, $17.97 for 90 days. VIP coaching: $39.99 a month. |
| Where it runs | Web, on a computer, phone or tablet. |
Good for: Learning from one teacher, with the option of human feedback. Source: detready.com, read 14 October 2026.
DETPractice
| What its own pages say | |
|---|---|
| What it is | A DET prep platform with a question bank, mock tests, AI correction and courses. |
| Length | Paid mocks take about 45–60 minutes: 3 a month on the Plus plan, 10 a month on Pro, or packs from $4.99 for one to $27.99 for ten. A free practice test takes about 30 minutes, with fewer questions. |
| Question types | No list for the mock. Its homepage and pricing table still name Read Aloud and Listen, Then Speak, which Duolingo retired on 1 July 2025; Interactive Speaking is not mentioned on the pages read. |
| Adaptive | Yes. |
| Score | Paid mocks: an overall score plus Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening. The free test gives an overall estimate only. |
| Writing and speaking feedback | AI scoring with “teacher guidance”, results within a minute. Not scored in the free test. |
| Price and account | 300 practice questions free. Basic $7.90, Plus $15.90, Pro $29.90 a month, each billed every three months. The free practice test needs no sign-in; the platform does. |
| Where it runs | Web, iOS and Android. |
Good for: A short free practice test without signing in, and phone apps. Source: detpractice.com, read 14 October 2026.
Hilingo
| What its own pages say | |
|---|---|
| What it is | Full-length DET mocks in the current format, scored by its own engine. Says it is not affiliated with Duolingo. |
| Length | Each mock is 64 screens under the real timers. Its FAQ counts a bank of 15 mocks; the paid plans say unlimited. |
| Question types | All 13, matching Duolingo’s list. |
| Adaptive | Not stated. |
| Score | 10–160 with Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation and Production. The four single-skill subscores are not shown. |
| Writing and speaking feedback | AI, scored part by part against the exam’s published guide. |
| Price and account | Free: one full mock with its report, plus a few AI-scored speaking and writing attempts a day. Paid: $17.99 for 7 days, $35.99 for 30 days, $71.97 for 90 days (international prices; India is charged in rupees). No subscription or auto-renewal. Needs an email; no card. |
| Where it runs | Web. |
Good for: Paying for a short, fixed period without a subscription. Source: hilingo.com, read 14 October 2026.
LandingPrep
| What its own pages say | |
|---|---|
| What it is | A DET mock inside a wider study-abroad platform that covers several exams. Says it is not affiliated with any test provider. |
| Length | The app lists 30 mocks. The page describes five sections (Adaptive, Comprehension, Literacy, Conversation, Production) whose times add up to about 210 minutes, much longer than the real one-hour test. |
| Question types | No task names on the public pages; says it follows the official blueprint. |
| Adaptive | It has a section named Adaptive; whether the mock adapts is not stated. |
| Score | An instant 10–160 estimate. Subscores are not stated. |
| Writing and speaking feedback | Rubric feedback and model answers; whether AI or a person marks them is not stated. |
| Price and account | Free with no attempt limit. No sign-up. |
| Where it runs | Any browser; can be installed as an app. |
Good for: A no-cost, no-sign-up option covering several exams. Source: landingprep.com, read 14 October 2026.
PrepareBuddy
| What its own pages say | |
|---|---|
| What it is | AI DET practice inside a test-prep platform that is mainly sold to institutions under their own brand. |
| Length | The free DET test takes about 60 minutes; it says full DET papers are unlimited. |
| Question types | 12 of 13 by its own statement: Interactive Speaking is not yet written. It correctly lists Read Aloud and Listen, Then Speak as retired. |
| Adaptive | Yes, it says difficulty adjusts as you answer. |
| Score | 10–160 in steps of 5 with subscores; which set of subscores it shows is unclear. |
| Writing and speaking feedback | An AI examiner; it says there is no human in the loop. |
| Price and account | Free tests with no registration. No student prices are listed; institutions get custom pricing. |
| Where it runs | Web. |
Good for: Schools and institutes that want their own branded practice platform. Source: preparebuddy.com, read 14 October 2026.
The right practice test depends on what you need
Start from your situation, not from a ranking.
You have never seen the test
Take Duolingo’s official practice test first. It is free, about 45 minutes, and made by the people who make the exam. You need a Duolingo English Test account.
You want the full hour, under time
Take a full-length mock that runs all 13 current types in order. Our six mocks do that with a report on all eight subscores and no account; Arno’s and Hilingo’s first mock is free with an account.
Your speaking or writing is the problem
Choose an option that gives feedback on each answer, not only a score. If you want a person rather than AI, DET Ready’s VIP coaching was the only option here offering human feedback.
You want a big question bank
Arno listed over 30,000 free practice questions, DETPractice 300 free and more on paid plans, and DET Ready over 5,000 on paid access.
You want to practise on a phone
Arno and DETPractice had iOS and Android apps. Use them for short drills, then take your full mocks on a computer: the real test runs in a desktop app.
Your budget is zero
Duolingo’s practice test, LandingPrep, PrepareBuddy’s free tests and our mocks (free for a limited time) all cost nothing to use.
What “Platinum Partner” and “official partner” mean
Several prep sites call themselves Duolingo partners, some at the Platinum tier. The badge is real, but it measures something other than what most students assume.
This site is not a Duolingo partner. It is independent and not affiliated with Duolingo, which is why its scores are always labelled as estimates. Whatever badge a site shows, judge its practice on the points in the checklist below.
Ten things to check in any DET practice test
Open any practice test, free or paid, and tick what it does. Your ticks are saved in this browser, so you can check one site, come back and check the next.
A test that ticks eight or more is close to the real thing. One that misses the first point was built for the old test, whatever else it does well.
Red flag or good sign?
Twelve things you might see on a practice site. Decide whether each one is a red flag, a good sign, or something to check first. The reasons are underneath.
Show the answers and reasons
| What you see | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The practice site lists Read Aloud as a current speaking task. | Red flag | Duolingo removed Read Aloud on 1 July 2025. A site that still lists it has not been updated for the current test. |
| The speaking section has a Listen, Then Speak question. | Red flag | Interactive Speaking replaced Listen, Then Speak in July 2025. |
| Your mock result is 117. | Red flag | The real test reports in steps of 5 (115, 120). A score like 117 is not on the real scale. |
| The mock lets you go back and change an earlier answer. | Red flag | The real test only moves forward. Practising with a back button builds a habit the real test will not allow. |
| A full mock takes about an hour with timers on each task. | Good sign | That matches the real test: about an hour, with a short timer on most tasks. |
| The report shows Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation and Production as well as the four skills. | Good sign | Those are the eight subscores on a real Duolingo English Test report. |
| The mock includes a short spoken conversation of six to eight questions. | Good sign | That is Interactive Speaking, the task added in July 2025. |
| The site says its scores are estimates and that it is not connected to Duolingo. | Good sign | No practice site can produce an official score. Saying so plainly is a sign of honesty. |
| The price is shown before you create an account. | Good sign | You can compare options without handing over an email first. |
| The site promises your real score will be within 5 points of its estimate. | Check first | Ask how that was measured: how many students, and against which real results. |
| The site calls itself a Platinum Partner of Duolingo. | Check first | Duolingo’s partner tiers are based on how many tests a partner refers each year, not on how closely its practice matches the test. |
| The “free” mock asks for a card number before you start. | Check first | Read the terms: a card at sign-up often means a trial that turns into a subscription. |
How to use practice tests well
Which practice test you choose matters less than how you use it. A mock you take under the real timers and then study tells you more than three you rush through.
1. See the format once
Take Duolingo’s official practice test, or one untimed mock, just to see every question type before any of them counts.
2. Take a full mock under time
Sit a full-length mock in one go, at the time of day you plan to test, on the computer you will use.
3. Read the subscores, not just the total
Find the lowest of the eight subscores and the question types behind it. That is where the next week of practice goes.
4. Drill the weak question types
Use the question-type guides and the section tests for the tasks that cost you points.
5. Take another full mock
A week or two later, sit a different full mock and compare. If the weak subscore moved, keep going; if not, change how you practise it.
The full plan, week by week, is in how to prepare for the Duolingo English Test, and the test-day tips are on the tip cards.
Questions people ask about DET practice tests
What is the best Duolingo English Test practice test?
The one that matches the real exam most closely: all 13 current question types, about an hour, adaptive, a 10–160 score with eight subscores, and feedback on writing and speaking. Start with Duolingo’s own free practice test to see the format, then use full-length mocks. The table on this page shows which options do what, read from each site on 14 October 2026.
Is Duolingo’s official practice test enough to prepare for the DET?
It is the right first step but rarely enough on its own. It is about 45 minutes, shorter than the real test, gives an estimated score range rather than subscores, and says nothing about feedback on your writing or speaking. Take it once to learn the format, then use full-length mocks and task drills to find and fix your weak question types.
Is Arno free for the Duolingo English Test?
Partly. On 14 October 2026 Arno’s DET page offered over 30,000 practice questions and the first full-length mock free, with a free account and no card. Further mocks and AI feedback need a paid plan, and the plan prices were only shown after signing in. Check Arno’s DET page for the current offer.
How much does DET Ready cost?
On 14 October 2026 DET Ready’s practice platform offered 15 questions free, then unlimited access for $9.97 for 7 days, $12.97 for 30 days or $17.97 for 90 days, each with 50 AI tokens for feedback. Its VIP coaching programme, which adds human feedback, was $39.99 a month. Prices can change, so check the site before you pay.
How much does DETPractice cost?
On 14 October 2026 DETPractice listed a free tier with 300 practice questions and a free 30-minute practice test, then Basic at $7.90, Plus at $15.90 and Pro at $29.90 a month, each billed every three months. Mock tests come with Plus (3 a month) and Pro (10 a month), or in packs from $4.99 for one to $27.99 for ten.
How much does Hilingo cost for the Duolingo English Test?
On 14 October 2026 Hilingo gave one full DET mock free, with its report. Paid DET plans were $17.99 for 7 days, $35.99 for 30 days and $71.97 for 90 days at international prices, with prices in rupees for India. They are one-off payments with no auto-renewal, and you need an email address but no card.
Is DET Ready part of Duolingo?
No. detready.com is run by an independent teacher known as Teacher Luke, and the site describes itself as a Duolingo partner. Duolingo’s own preparation advice also uses the word “readiness”, which causes confusion, but that lives on englishtest.duolingo.com and its blog. Duolingo’s own practice material is the free practice test in your Duolingo English Test account.
What does “Platinum Partner” mean on a DET prep site?
It is a tier in Duolingo’s Global Partner Network, and Duolingo’s help centre sets the tiers by how many tests a partner refers: Platinum means 2,000 or more a year. It tells you the business sends Duolingo a lot of test takers. It does not tell you how closely its practice tests match the real exam, so judge that yourself.
Which prep platforms cover all 13 current DET question types?
Of the sites compared on 14 October 2026, Arno, Hilingo and this site list all 13 current types by name. PrepareBuddy says it covers 12 and has not yet written Interactive Speaking. DET Ready says it covers all the new types without listing them, and DETPractice’s pages still name Read Aloud and Listen, Then Speak, which were retired in July 2025.
Why do some prep sites still list Read Aloud?
Because their pages, and sometimes their tests, were written before July 2025. On 1 July 2025 Duolingo removed Read Aloud and replaced Listen, Then Speak with Interactive Speaking. Practising the retired tasks still exercises your speaking, but a mock built around them will not feel like the test you sit. See the current question types.
Which DET prep platforms have a mobile app?
On 14 October 2026 Arno and DETPractice listed iOS and Android apps; LandingPrep can be installed from the browser. The others run in a web browser. A phone is fine for short drills, but the real test runs in Duolingo’s desktop app on a computer, so take your full mocks on the computer you will test on.
Does TestGlider have Duolingo English Test practice?
No. On 14 October 2026 TestGlider’s site covered TOEFL, IELTS and PTE only, with no Duolingo English Test product on its home or pricing pages. If you saw it recommended for the DET, the recommendation is out of date or mistaken.
How can I tell whether a practice site’s score estimate is trustworthy?
Look for three things: it reports on the real 10–160 scale in steps of 5, it says plainly that its score is an estimate, and it explains how it compared its estimates with real results. Treat a promise of “within 5 points” as a claim to check. The best test is your own: compare your mock score with your real result.
Are paid DET prep platforms worth the money?
Only if they give you something the free options do not, such as more full mocks in the current format, detailed feedback on writing and speaking, or a human teacher. The official test costs $70 USD an attempt, so a few dollars of practice that prevents a retake can pay for itself. Before paying, run the free version through the checklist on this page.
What should a Duolingo English Test practice report include?
An overall score on the 10–160 scale in steps of 5, all eight subscores (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking, Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation and Production), a CEFR level, and comments on each writing and speaking answer. A single overall number tells you where you are but not what to fix. See a sample report.
Which DET practice tests work without an account?
On 14 October 2026: this site’s mocks, LandingPrep, PrepareBuddy’s free tests and DETPractice’s free 30-minute practice test needed no sign-up. Duolingo’s own practice test, Arno and Hilingo needed an account. Not needing an account lets you try a test before deciding whether it is worth your email.
How were these practice tests compared?
Every fact about another site was read from that site’s own pages on 14 October 2026, without signing up or paying, and each option links to the page it came from. Where a site says nothing on a point, the table says “not stated”. There are no ratings or stars: the same points are compared for every option, including this site and its own gaps.
How often is this comparison checked?
Each fact carries the date it was read. Prep sites change their prices and plans often, so check the site itself before you pay. If you notice something that has changed, tell us and we will read the page again and update the table.
Quick reference: DET practice tests at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What should a practice test match? | 13 question types, about an hour, adaptive, 10–160 in steps of 5, eight subscores. |
| Duolingo’s own practice test | Free, unlimited retakes, about 45 minutes, account needed, estimated score range. |
| Full-length mocks with no account | This site, LandingPrep, and PrepareBuddy’s free test. |
| Lists all 13 current types | Arno, Hilingo and this site. |
| Phone apps | Arno and DETPractice (iOS and Android). |
| Human feedback | DET Ready’s VIP coaching ($39.99 a month). |
| Shortest paid access | DET Ready $9.97 for 7 days; Hilingo $17.99 for 7 days. |
| Retired tasks to avoid | Read Aloud and Listen, Then Speak (gone since 1 July 2025). |
| What “Platinum Partner” means | 2,000 or more tests referred to Duolingo a year; not a rating of accuracy. |
| Official test fee | $70 USD per attempt, bought from Duolingo. |
| Facts read on | 14 October 2026, from each site’s own pages. |
Start a practice test
An hour under real conditions, all eight subscores, and feedback on every written and spoken answer.
Take a test