9 TOEIC study apps: purpose, score range and free access
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For TOEIC L&R, choose a vocabulary app when words are the problem, a course with explanations when you cannot explain your mistakes, and audio or part practice when those are the gaps. Our Japan-focused examples are mikan for vocabulary, StudySapuri for lessons, abceed for textbook audio, and Training TOEIC test for free exercises; TOEIC Pal is a separate official Speaking option. Use an app for short reviews and official practice materials for unfamiliar questions and timed practice.
To connect TOEIC L&R formats with Part-specific practice and a realistic weekly schedule, use our TOEIC study plan.
These are recommendations by purpose, not a ranking. We did not install, register for, pay for or test third-party apps. Our judgments use provider descriptions checked on 15 October 2026, not measured learning gains. SpeakGain is our own product and receives the same scrutiny. Japanese apps below are examples for readers who can use Japanese learning materials; this is not a claim that every app is available in your country. ETS announced TOEIC Pal’s global launch, but local store availability and purchase terms still need checking.
Compare the task and the free limit first
L&R tests listening and reading; S&W tests speaking and writing. A feature that lets you speak aloud is not necessarily preparation for TOEIC Speaking tasks. See our English test comparison.
Dates below are the latest Japanese iOS release dates, converted to Japan time, retrieved from the official App Store listings. They are not Android or lesson-update dates. Every row was checked on 2026-10-15. All nine have official iOS/Android distribution information, but compatibility and regional access vary.
| App / official listing | Provider | Purpose / test | Main features | Free versus paid | iOS update | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mikan | mikan | Vocabulary / L&R materials | Word audio, choices, review | Free materials; wider materials and practice depend on paid tier | 2026-10-13 | 2026-10-15 |
| StudySapuri ENGLISH TOEIC | Recruit | Lessons, parts / L&R | Videos, dictation, shadowing | Initial one-week trial; paid renewal | 2026-09-28 | 2026-10-15 |
| abceed | Globee | Textbook audio, parts, mocks / L&R | Repeat audio, exercises, online mocks | Free audio and answer sheet; Pro for unlimited materials and mocks | 2026-10-15 | 2026-10-15 |
| Santa ALC | Socra AI / ALC in Japan | Suggested tasks, parts, mocks / L&R | Vocabulary, videos, recommendations | Free download, paid options; ongoing free question limit unconfirmed | 2026-09-22 | 2026-10-15 |
| Training TOEIC test | Flipout | Parts, words / L&R | Parts 1–7, target-based vocabulary | All questions free with ads; paid ad removal | 2026-10-01 | 2026-10-15 |
| Official TOEIC materials app | IIBC / ETS materials | Official audio, parts, mocks / L&R | Study and mock modes | Audio and essential 200 words free; exercise materials purchased separately | 2026-10-14 | 2026-10-15 |
| TOEIC official content by IIBC | IIBC | General listening supplement | English Upgrader audio/text, information | Over 60 free conversation episodes | 2025-06-24; slow updates | 2026-10-15 |
| TOEIC Pal | ETS official / SpeakingPal store developer | Speaking, not Writing | Official-format tasks, AI feedback | Free download; paid access; ongoing free scope unconfirmed | 2026-09-23 | 2026-10-15 |
| SpeakGain — ours | SpeakGain (our app) | Personal sentences, no test-specific course | Sentence cards, generated audio/explanations | Apple says 50 combined actions; Japanese website says two-week trial. Terms differ | 2026-10-09 | 2026-10-15 |
Start with a score range, then identify the actual mistake
The ranges are our editorial planning suggestions, not entry requirements or diagnoses. Someone at 600 may need vocabulary, listening, reading or pacing practice; the number alone does not identify the gap.
| Starting point | Our suggested priority | Example app | Role of official materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| First test / below about 400 | Basic sentences, grammar and task instructions | mikan free materials; StudySapuri trial if Japanese lessons suit you | Work through a manageable section and understand the explanations |
| About 400–595 | Recognize known words in audio; repair errors by part | Training TOEIC test; abceed Free for supported audio | Find the supporting sentence in the script or passage |
| About 600–700 | Separate knowledge gaps from time pressure | abceed Pro for chosen materials; Santa for suggested tasks | Try unfamiliar official questions with a time limit |
| Also taking S&W | Prepare Speaking and Writing separately | TOEIC Pal for Speaking; SpeakGain only for personal sentence rehearsal | Check each task, its instructions and time limit |
mikan: repeat the words in one chosen course
Who it suits: Japanese-reading learners who want short vocabulary sessions. Facts: the official Play listing describes word audio, multiple-choice and card practice. The provider’s tier guide separates free materials, Lite and Premium; broader practical materials require the appropriate paid plan. Checked 2026-10-15.
Our judgment from official information: a focused vocabulary option when unknown words repeatedly stop you. Use: review yesterday’s mistakes, then hear the word before answering its meaning. Caution: your chosen commercial wordbook is not automatically free. Correct choices do not establish that you can produce a sentence. See vocabulary app choices and how to learn words.
StudySapuri: understand why an answer works
Who it suits: first-time candidates and returning learners who need Japanese explanations. Facts: the TOEIC course and store describe L&R exercises, videos, dictation and shadowing. Japanese website terms advertise an initial one-week trial and the basic plan from ¥3,278 per month including tax, with automatic renewal. Checked 2026-10-15.
Our judgment from official information: choose explanations before more questions if you cannot explain an error. Use: one lesson, a few related questions, then explain the evidence yourself. Caution: this is not an ongoing free question bank; payment-channel prices differ. The website announces the personal coach plan’s closure, so we do not recommend the old coach offer still mentioned in some store copy.
abceed: distinguish free audio from paid exercises
Who it suits: owners of supported textbooks and learners who prefer choosing their own materials. Facts: the official Free/Pro comparison lists speed control, repeat audio, answer sheets and study-time tracking in Free; broader materials, online mocks and recommendations belong to Pro. Checked 2026-10-15.
Our judgment from official information: check Free first if your only need is textbook audio. Use: repeat a short section you missed in the book, check its meaning, then return to normal-speed listening. Caution: audio access does not mean free questions and explanations. A feature called “SW training” alone does not establish full TOEIC S&W coverage. We have not validated score estimates. Compare other options in our listening app guide.
Santa ALC: help choosing the next exercise
Who it suits: learners who spend too long deciding what to study. Facts: the Japanese provider and official Play listing describe L&R recommendations, vocabulary, grammar, videos and mock tests. The store developer is Socra AI; ALC is the Japanese service partner. Free download and in-app purchases are listed; the ongoing free question allowance was not established. Checked 2026-10-15.
Our judgment from official information: a candidate for reducing task-selection effort, not our recommendation for a guaranteed zero-cost routine. Use: complete a suggested exercise and record why one answer was wrong. Caution: we did not test the advertised score accuracy or improvement claims. App estimates are not forecasts of your actual test result.
Training TOEIC test: clearly described free part practice
Who it suits: learners who accept ads and want free questions. Facts: Flipout’s official listing and Play page describe Parts 1–7, target-based words and phrases, all questions free and optional paid ad removal. These are independently produced materials, not an ETS-endorsed product. Checked 2026-10-15.
Our judgment from official information: useful for finding the parts that need work before committing to a subscription. Use: select one part, answer a small set and explain an error. Caution: free access does not make the questions official or turn results into a TOEIC score. This Flipout app is distinct from similarly named beginner apps.
Official options: audio, materials and Speaking are different jobs
IIBC official materials app
Who it suits: learners using Japanese official L&R materials. Facts: IIBC offers official audio and essential 200 words free. Study/mock modes require buying app materials; the answer-sheet tool excludes some books. The store specifies free membership registration. Checked 2026-10-15.
Our judgment from official information: check existing book audio before buying another service. Use: study from the book at home and review its audio outside. Caution: buying a paper book does not unlock all app exercises. The page lists the app edition of volume 13 for 19 October, still upcoming on our check date.
TOEIC official content by IIBC
Who it suits: learners wanting free everyday/workplace listening and test information. Facts: IIBC’s description includes over 60 audio/text episodes and speed adjustment. The iOS listing last updated on 2025-06-24. Checked 2026-10-15.
Our judgment from official information: an optional listening supplement. Use: hear a short section, check the text, listen again. Caution: approximately 16 months without an iOS update merits a compatibility check. We do not infer closure from that date, or promise continuing updates. It is not an L&R mock test.
TOEIC Pal
Who it suits: candidates who need Speaking-format practice. Facts: ETS identifies it as an official Speaking preparation app; IIBC describes tasks and AI feedback. The store developer is SpeakingPal. Japan’s IIBC license is ¥5,830 for 30 days including tax; other store terms differ. Checked 2026-10-15.
Our judgment from official information: check a format-specific tool before treating generic speaking practice as exam preparation. Use: answer one task within its stated time, review feedback and try again. Caution: it is not a complete Writing course; AI feedback is not an official score. Ongoing free use was not confirmed. See TOEIC Speaking preparation.
SpeakGain: rehearse one personal sentence
Who it suits: someone who wants to say a short sentence they wrote for work. SpeakGain is our own product. Facts: the official website and Apple description describe personal sentence cards, generated audio and explanations. Apple describes 50 combined free actions, while the Japanese legal pricing page describes a two-week trial and ¥980 monthly / ¥9,800 yearly including tax. These are Japanese terms, not prices for every country. Checked 2026-10-15.
Our judgment from official information: a supplement for saying a prepared sentence, not a vocabulary syllabus or mock test. Suggested use: our original example is Could we review the delivery dates tomorrow? First understand it, listen and try saying it without the text. It is not a TOEIC question or a copied textbook sentence. Caution: we do not recommend SpeakGain for TOEIC answer/pronunciation scoring or score forecasting. Saying one sentence does not establish that an exam answer meets the task. The two free-access descriptions should not be added together or treated as identical.
Verified on our dedicated Android device: we saved this sentence once through the normal Add flow, then opened Library → Knowledge → Learn this card → Listening. Listening hid the English and prompted us to listen and say it aloud. Reveal answer displayed the exact saved sentence. We did not record or use assessment.
This player contains the Viking AI audio generated once for our original sentence above. Listen, then try saying it without the text. It is neither a human native-speaker recording nor TOEIC test audio.
Combine apps with official books without duplicating purchases
IIBC describes official books with questions created by ETS using the actual test-development process. Our editorial approach: use unfamiliar official questions to find a difficulty; use one app to revisit that difficulty briefly. If you own the book, first check its free official audio. Buy the app edition only if having the questions on your phone solves a real problem.
For a first test, start with manageable sections and understand the instructions. When pacing is the issue, reserve time for the approximately two-hour, 200-question L&R format. Record a paused, dictionary-assisted session separately from an uninterrupted one. High accuracy on repeated questions shows review progress, not performance on unseen material.
A workable weekly routine, and methods we avoid
This is an editorial example, not an experimentally optimal schedule: on weekdays, allow 5–10 minutes for yesterday’s words or audio and, when possible, 10–15 minutes at a desk for a few exercises and one explanation. At the weekend, do a manageable amount of unfamiliar official material and choose next week’s errors to revisit. Reserve separate Speaking/Writing task practice if taking S&W. Reduce new questions when review does not fit. See our broader English study guide.
We do not recommend installing many apps for the same job: review queues become fragmented. Add a second only when you can name its different purpose. Nor do we recommend using a mock estimate to decide you will achieve a target: question familiarity, length and conditions differ, and we did not validate prediction accuracy. Passive playback or memorizing answer positions also leaves comprehension unchecked. After listening, state the meaning; after an exercise, explain the evidence. L&R practice should never be counted as completed Speaking and Writing practice.
Questions readers ask
Can I prepare for free?
Yes, you can start vocabulary, part practice and audio review within free limits. Training TOEIC test offers all questions free; abceed Free and IIBC provide specific audio options. That does not make every required official book free or guarantee a score increase.
Should I replace my wordbook with an app?
Not if your current review works. Our choice would be to retain the scope and add supported audio or convenient reviews, rather than restart for the sake of a new app.
Are there official apps?
Yes. IIBC’s materials app and its conversation-content app serve different jobs. ETS’s TOEIC Pal is a separate official Speaking product; “TOEIC” in an app name alone does not make it official.
Which app covers S&W?
TOEIC Pal is a Speaking candidate. Prepare Writing separately with official materials. Personal sentence rehearsal in SpeakGain is supplementary, not answer evaluation or an S&W mock.
How many minutes each day?
Start with enough time to finish yesterday’s review. Our example is 5–10 minutes of words/audio plus 10–15 minutes of error work when practical, with longer sessions for timed practice. This does not promise a number of points in a number of days.
Are app mock scores the same as real scores?
No. Keep them as records of that exercise, not forecasts. Check unfamiliar questions and time pressure separately.
How many apps should a beginner install?
Start with one purpose and one app. If you already own official books, their audio may fill the immediate gap. Add only a distinct missing function.
Does an old update date mean the app is unusable?
Not necessarily. Check the official distribution and compatibility information. We flag IIBC’s older iOS release rather than declare the app discontinued.
If you are considering Eiken too, see our Eiken study app comparison for its different grade and task requirements.
For focused vocabulary work, compare TOEIC wordbooks and the steps from meaning to sound and context against your target and current gaps.
If Reading runs out before you finish, use our TOEIC time-management guide to check official timings, try an editorial 75-minute budget and log where time goes.
Our editorial verdict
Choose by the next error you need to fix: mikan for words, StudySapuri for Japanese lessons, abceed for chosen textbook audio/materials, Training TOEIC test for free parts, Santa for task suggestions, and the IIBC apps for their distinct official roles. TOEIC Pal is for Speaking-format practice; SpeakGain is an optional personal-sentence supplement. Keep only the combination whose free limits and review workload fit your routine, and return to unfamiliar official questions to check what remains difficult.
Use our TOEIC score-level guide to choose a purpose-based target for your app practice.