8 Eiken Study Apps: Skills, Grades, Free Access and Books
Published Updated
For Japan’s Eiken, consider mikan for a chosen vocabulary book, Eiken Training for free practice across skills at Grades 3–2, and Eigo no Tomo for audio accompanying your Obunsha books. Match the grade and the genuinely free material, then add supported writing feedback or grade-specific interview practice where needed. Apps are supplements: check the official format and past papers, and leave time to write and speak your own answers.
This comparison is for candidates taking Japan’s Eiken and their parents, mainly Grades 3 to Pre-1. It is not a ranking. We did not install, register for, pay for or use the other companies’ apps: our recommendations are editorial judgements based on official descriptions and official store listings, not a test of usability, AI accuracy or pass rates. SpeakGain is our own product and is considered only for saving a sentence you want to say aloud. A translated article does not mean every app or textbook supports English-language instruction.
Decide where an app fits with our Eiken Pre-1 skill practice and study plan, then pair it with review of official papers.
For the full preparation sequence, including summary writing, see our Eiken Grade 2 study plan by time remaining.
After choosing a tool, use our Pre-2 writing and self-review guide to plan separate practice for emails and opinion essays.
For the order of preparation across all four skills and priorities as test day approaches, see our Eiken Grade 3 study plan, based on the current official format.
Before choosing a tool, use our Eiken Grade 3 writing guide to distinguish the tasks and learn to review your own response.
Before choosing preparation materials, use our guide to choosing your first Eiken grade to compare official levels, test tasks and your purpose.
For priorities across the whole exam and a realistic six-month approach, see our Eiken Grade 1 study plan.
Eight apps: skills, grades and the limits of free access
Checked 15 October 2026. Updates below are the iOS release dates in UTC from official App Store metadata, not Android releases or textbook revision dates. We confirmed iOS listings for all eight. Features vary by platform, book and plan; a grade appearing in a catalog does not make every skill at that grade free.
| App / platform | Provider | Skill | Grades / scope | Main advertised features | Free versus paid | iOS update, UTC | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eiken Training / 英検トレーニング, iOS/Android | StudySwitch | Vocabulary, reading, listening, writing, interview practice | 3, Pre-2, Pre-2 Plus, 2 | Topic exercises, explanations, AI writing and speaking practice | All questions free with ads; paid ad removal | 2026-08-19 | 2026-10-15 |
| mikan, iOS/Android | mikan | Vocabulary; reading/listening by book | Books for 5–1, including Pre-2 Plus; functions vary | Multiple-choice vocabulary, cards, exercises, ebooks, audio | Some vocabulary free; Lite/Premium cover different books and functions | 2026-10-12 | 2026-10-15 |
| Eigo no Tomo / 英語の友, iOS/Android | Obunsha | Listening, vocabulary; speaking with supported books | Supported books, including Pass Tan 1–5; match edition | Book audio, playback controls, supported tests | Book audio free; some passwords require the book. Premium extras ¥1,800/month | 2026-05-27 | 2026-10-15 |
| Manabi no Tomo / 学びの友, iOS/Android | Obunsha | Marking, review records, writing | Book-specific. 2026–27 three-test series: Pre-1–5 excluding Pre-2 Plus; writing subset | Automatic marking, analysis, history, retrying errors, supported AI writing feedback | Basic functions and ID free; books separate; AI partly paid, trials depend on book | 2026-09-17 | 2026-10-15 |
| Eigozuke / 英語漬け, iOS confirmed; Android unconfirmed | SHOJI DAICHI | Vocabulary, listening, writing, interview practice | 5–1 including Pre-2 Plus | Vocabulary, gap-fill, audio, AI writing and speaking | Provider describes all learning functions as free with ads | 2026-10-10 | 2026-10-15 |
| Pre-1 Detatan / 英検準1級 でた単, iOS/Android | Namiko Takahashi | Vocabulary and phrases | This product is Pre-1; other grades are separate products | Grade-specific vocabulary, tests, continuous audio | iOS upfront ¥1,000 plus optional in-app purchases; not a free starter | 2026-10-11 | 2026-10-15 |
| abceed, iOS/Android | Globee | Vocabulary, reading, listening, speaking courses | By book; advertised speaking course 3–Pre-1, including Pre-2 Plus | Audio, exercises, records, AI conversation courses | Eligible audio and marking sheet free; book content and continued AI access depend on plan | 2026-10-15 | 2026-10-15 |
| SpeakGain, first-party; official iOS/Android links | SpeakGain (our app) | Speaking your own sentence | No Eiken grade syllabus, mock interview or Eiken answer scoring | Official description: self-entered phrase cards, audio and explanations | Store says 50 combined actions free; Japan legal page says initial two-week trial. Conditions conflict: check the offer before subscribing | 2026-10-09 | 2026-10-15 |
The app names link to official listings. Additional sources: mikan catalog, Eigo no Tomo books and Premium fees, Manabi no Tomo books and AI conditions, Globee’s speaking-course announcement, and SpeakGain’s Japanese sales terms.
Free download, free audio, free question text and ongoing AI feedback are different offers. A companion app may play a book’s audio free without supplying its questions or explanations. The dates show update recency, not teaching quality or proof that every book uses the current exam format.
Choose the weak skill, then match the grade and edition
Our suggestion is to try part of a past paper first. Are unfamiliar words stopping you, does familiar language become difficult in audio, can you finish a written answer, or do you freeze when speaking? Each problem calls for a different check. Correctly selecting a word meaning does not establish that you can use it in an answer.
Match the exact grade, book title, edition and available app function. A book available as an ebook is not necessarily an interactive exercise or a tool that evaluates your own writing. Do not assume Pre-2 Plus is included merely because Pre-2 and Grade 2 appear. For broader choices, see our vocabulary-app comparison and listening-app comparison. Here the exam grade and task format come first.
Eiken Training: free practice across skills for Grades 3–2
Suitable for: Candidates at Grade 3, Pre-2, Pre-2 Plus or 2 who want to begin with more than vocabulary and no initial app fee.
Facts: The official iOS description lists vocabulary, reading, listening, writing and second-stage practice, including AI writing and speaking features. All questions are free with advertising; removing advertising is paid. An official Android listing is available too.
Our judgement, based on official information: A sensible starting candidate for these four grades because it covers multiple practice areas. We have not checked whether its AI evaluation agrees with a human examiner.
How we would use it: Select one area missed in a past paper, finish a short exercise and note one reason for an error. For interview work, make time to say your own answer rather than only reading the displayed one.
Caution: We are not recommending it for Pre-1. Parents should consider ads and purchases. It is not presented as an app developed or approved by the Eiken Foundation.
mikan: repeat the vocabulary book you have chosen
Suitable for: Learners following a school, tutor or independently chosen vocabulary book who want short repetitions of meanings and sounds.
Facts: Its official listing describes vocabulary cards, multiple-choice tests and book-dependent exercises, ebooks and audio. The Gakken publisher catalog includes Pre-2 Plus and Grade 1; the author catalog lists Grade 5–Pre-1 vocabulary titles. Some vocabulary is free; catalog inclusion is not free access.
Our judgement, based on official information: A candidate when one established book is the main plan. Check that exact title’s subscription and functions before paying.
How we would use it: Repeat difficult words in the same book used at school or on paper. Return to examples and explanations when a meaning is recognizable but its use in a sentence is unclear.
Caution: The Pre-2 lesson book excludes writing and interview sections from interactive exercises and directs users to the ebook. The Pre-1 interview book advertises ebook/audio functions. Interview material is not evidence of automated evaluation of your interview.
Eigo no Tomo: use the audio accompanying your Obunsha books
Suitable for: People who already have a supported Obunsha Eiken book and need its vocabulary or listening audio on their phone.
Facts: The official site says book-audio playback is free. Support lists editions and password requirements. Premium costs ¥1,800/month for additional functions such as removing limits on supported tests; extras vary by book.
Our judgement, based on official information: Before finding another general app, check whether you are using the audio already supplied with your book. Its value here is connecting a solved question to a focused replay.
How we would use it: Answer first under exam-like conditions. After marking, compare one missed sentence against the script, then replay without the text and explain its meaning.
Caution: Free audio is not a free copy of the book. Match the edition, availability period and OS. A less recent release does not by itself mean a service is discontinued. “Official Obunsha app” does not mean “official Eiken Foundation app.”
Manabi no Tomo: connect book exercises to review and rewriting
Suitable for: Learners using a supported Obunsha workbook who want to keep results and follow up weak areas, including supported writing tasks.
Facts: The provider page describes marking, history and filtered retries, and requires a free Obunsha Manabi ID. Its 2026–27 three-past-test series covers six grades from Pre-1 to 5, excluding Pre-2 Plus. The AI launch notice names Pre-1, 2, Pre-2 and 3 for supported writing books; the 2026 notice confirms partly paid access.
Our judgement, based on official information: Consider it when completed book exercises are not turning into review. The purpose is to correct something, not merely collect scores.
How we would use it: Write independently, read feedback under the book’s conditions, identify one issue such as a missing reason or verb agreement, then rewrite. Copying the suggested answer is not the same action.
Caution: Downloading does not unlock all past-paper text or unlimited AI feedback. Match grade, title, year and trial allowance. Obunsha says the AI scoring is not supervised or certified by the Foundation; it is not an official Eiken score.
Eigozuke: a free, broad candidate including Pre-1
Suitable for: Candidates willing to accept advertising who want to explore more than vocabulary, including writing and interview practice.
Facts: The official iOS listing names Grades 5–1 including Pre-2 Plus, vocabulary/gap-fill, listening, AI writing feedback and speaking practice. The provider describes all learning functions as free, supported by ads. We confirmed iOS/iPadOS; Android availability of the same product is unverified here.
Our judgement, based on official information: Worth checking when a free candidate needs to include the higher grades. “All grades” does not establish identical depth for every skill at every grade.
How we would use it: Choose one starting skill. For writing, produce your own answer before checking a suggested correction, and decide whether it preserves your intended meaning. Ask a teacher or consult an explained textbook when uncertain.
Caution: We do not use the provider’s advertised pass rates as evidence of effectiveness. We have not tested ad frequency or AI quality. Free access does not itself establish suitability for a child.
Pre-1 Detatan: a paid choice focused on vocabulary
Suitable for: Pre-1 candidates who specifically want vocabulary repetition and have a clear reason to buy a dedicated product.
Facts: The iOS listing describes Pre-1 vocabulary, tests and audio. The checked upfront price is ¥1,000 with additional in-app purchases. There is an official Android product; check your own store’s price.
Our judgement, based on official information: This fills a Pre-1 vocabulary gap; it is not a complete writing/interview course or our starting recommendation for someone seeking a free general app.
How we would use it: Check meanings, then return to a past-paper sentence or passage containing the word. Confirm that you understand the sentence, rather than counting correct words alone.
Caution: Other-grade Detatan products are separate purchases. Remembering a word’s sound is not equivalent to answering an extended listening task or organizing an interview opinion.
abceed: consider book exercises and grade-specific speaking courses
Suitable for: Learners starting with supported audio who may later choose a plan covering materials or AI conversation.
Facts: The official listing describes free eligible audio, speed/segment controls and marking sheets, alongside paid materials/plans. Globee’s announcement describes speaking-test courses for Grade 3–Pre-1, including Pre-2 Plus, with continued access through Pro or a relevant AI conversation plan.
Our judgement, based on official information: A candidate for keeping materials together or finding a grade-level speaking task. Free audio must not be confused with a wholly free interview course.
How we would use it: Start with one audio question from your existing book. Before choosing speaking courses, match the task and grade to the actual contract.
Caution: We did not test AI scoring accuracy or mock-interview fidelity. TOEIC or general conversation features do not prove identical Eiken coverage. A provider’s evaluation remains separate from Foundation scoring.
SpeakGain: keep one sentence after interview practice
Suitable for: Someone who has used grade-specific material and can name a short answer sentence they want to say aloud. SpeakGain is our own product.
Facts: The official store describes self-entered phrase cards, audio and explanations. It is not presented here as an Eiken syllabus, mock interview or answer-scoring app. The store’s 50 combined free actions differ from the Japanese legal page’s initial two-week trial: verify the applicable offer before subscribing.
Our judgement, based on official information: Consider it only for retaining a sentence after checking the question format and the content of your answer, rather than replacing vocabulary, past papers or interview material.
Original practice example: I enjoy studying with a friend because we can help each other. We wrote this short sentence; it is not a reproduced Eiken question or model answer. In an interview, respond with your own content to what was actually asked.
Verified use on the device: On 15 October 2026 we saved this sentence once through the normal Add screen. From Library → Knowledge → Learn this card, Listening hid the English and prompted listening and speaking aloud. Reveal answer showed the saved sentence; replay in Answer changed the accessible control to Pause. A possible practice is to listen to your own sentence after checking its content with interview material, say it without reading, then reveal and compare.
Viking AI-generated audio of this sentence, not a recording by a human native speaker.
Caution: We verified saving one original sentence, listening and revealing it. Recording, assessment and a mock interview were not part of this check; no Eiken answer/pronunciation evaluation or pass guarantee is claimed.
Keep the Foundation’s own resources separate
Start with the official grade pages for formats, past papers, audio, answers and second-stage samples. Follow the page for your grade and compare the current format with the year covered by your material. We link to the resources without reproducing questions.
The official virtual second-stage test introduces the flow; the Foundation explicitly says it is not practice questions. Watching it does not complete oral practice. The old Study Gear for EIKEN Basic benefit ended on 31 March 2023. Do not recommend that discontinued benefit as currently free; that notice alone does not establish the status of every historical plan.
Our proposed app-and-book combinations by grade
These are editorial study plans, not measured outcomes or pass guarantees. Keep one book’s attempt–review cycle central, and give the app a specific repetition job.
| Grade | Main material | App support to consider | Work outside the app |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Current-format general workbook plus official guidance | Eiken Training for free skill practice; mikan for selected vocabulary | Write independently; answer familiar interview topics aloud |
| Pre-2 | Workbook/past papers to locate weaknesses | Eigo no Tomo for your book audio; supported Manabi no Tomo for review | Compare original and revised writing; form a reason for each spoken answer |
| Pre-2 Plus | Grade-specific material and official format | Explicitly listed Eiken Training/mikan titles; check abceed speaking scope | Practise the grade’s tasks, not simply substitute Pre-2 material |
| 2 | Timed past papers and writing/listening/reading review | One vocabulary source plus book audio; supported writing feedback if needed | Give reasons aloud and practise with the writing/input mode you will use |
| Pre-1 | Explained past papers and grade-specific writing/interview material | Detatan for focused vocabulary; Eigozuke for a free broad candidate; abceed for materials/courses | Extended explanations, relevant reasons, timed writing and speech |
Check whether an existing paid app already includes a book before buying it again. If only audio is missing, another subscription for full book text may be unnecessary. Web benefits can have deadlines: Obunsha’s 2026 Pre-1 book lists its service period. Check used books’ editions and access terms too.
For practice methods, see the interview preparation guide, interview-day guide, and the Pre-2, Grade 2 and Pre-1 guides. An app comparison does not replace those grade-specific task instructions.
A possible week with one app
Our suggestion is short weekday work and a longer check at the weekend. These minutes are scheduling examples, not a scientific requirement; adjust for school, work and family life.
- Monday/Wednesday/Friday: Five to ten minutes of vocabulary; check one example containing a missed word.
- Tuesday/Thursday: Answer one listening question, check the missed part against its script, then replay without text.
- Saturday: Write independently, examine feedback or a book explanation, and rewrite one issue.
- Sunday: Do a timed past-paper section or a grade-specific interview run, then choose next week’s words or sentence.
Near the interview, move some vocabulary time to listening to questions and answering aloud. Being able to read an answer and responding spontaneously are different checks. A teacher or family member can help with a practice partner’s role and timing.
Approaches we would not recommend
Installing many similar apps and restarting several vocabulary books: It makes it harder to track which error you corrected. Begin with one app and one main book; add a function only when you can name the missing job.
Using only a vocabulary app for the interview: Meaning selection does not require listening to a question, choosing relevant content and speaking. Keep vocabulary work, but reserve grade-specific oral practice.
Treating AI points as an official pass prediction: An advertised feature is not evidence that we verified agreement with the exam. Understand the correction and whether it communicates your opinion before replacing a whole answer.
Only playing free audio in the background: Listening for enjoyment is fine, but the exam requires understanding and responding. Keep a separate check in which you solve, write or answer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pass with free apps alone?
You can start for free, but we cannot guarantee a pass. Check Eiken Training for Grades 3–2 or Eigozuke’s advertised broader free scope, then check official formats and whether writing/speaking practice is missing.
Vocabulary app or printed wordbook?
An app can handle short repetitions; a book can keep explanations and examples together. We would use one main set of material across the places where each format is convenient, before adding a second word list.
Are there apps for the interview?
Official descriptions list interview practice in Eiken Training/Eigozuke and grade-specific speaking courses in abceed. mikan has interview books, but ebooks/audio and evaluation of your answers are different functions. SpeakGain is a sentence-retention supplement, not an Eiken mock interview/scorer.
Do I need a new app for every grade?
Not necessarily, if your current app includes the next grade and suitable functions at an acceptable cost. Detatan can be a separate grade product, and some book series exclude Pre-2 Plus: verify rather than assume.
What should parents check?
Grade fit, advertising, purchases, registration and time limits. Agree that unnecessary names or school details should not go into AI submissions, and define one small task rather than leaving everything to a “free” app.
Can I solve past papers in an app?
Some mikan/abceed materials and supported Manabi no Tomo books are candidates. Check whether question text is included or you must use the paper book while entering answers, and which years/sections are covered. Free audio does not mean free full papers.
Is there an official free Eiken app?
Check the Foundation’s current site for published resources first. Past papers/audio and the virtual interview-flow introduction serve different purposes. Do not treat the ended Study Gear Basic benefit as current.
Is the newest update enough to choose an app?
No. Release date does not prove the book edition or exercise matches your grade. A gap between updates does not alone prove it is unusable either. Check OS support, end notices, edition and availability period together.
For a plan covering the first stage through the interview, see our Eiken Pre-2 study plan and priorities by time left.
Our final editorial view
For free general practice at Grades 3–2, consider Eiken Training; for repeating a selected vocabulary book, mikan; for audio you already have through an Obunsha book, Eigo no Tomo. Match Manabi no Tomo to a supported book for review/writing, Eigozuke to a broader free requirement, Detatan to a paid Pre-1 vocabulary need, and abceed to materials plus speaking courses.
Add SpeakGain only when you have identified a sentence to retain after interview-material practice. Connect official format checks, past-paper work and your own writing/speaking. The useful combination is one that lets you say what you corrected today, rather than how many apps you installed.