Best 11+ Preparation Apps and Platforms in the UK (2026)

1. EdifyPod Nexus, Best Overall for 11+ Preparation

EdifyPod Nexus is the most complete 11+ preparation platform currently available to UK families. It covers all five key areas, Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, and Creative Writing, across all four major exam boards: GL Assessment, CEM, CSSE, and ISEB.

What separates EdifyPod Nexus from every other platform on this list is its Target School Admission Tracking feature. Parents add their target grammar or independent schools; the platform calculates how close their child is to that specific school's typical entry threshold, broken down by subject. The dashboard shows On Track, Borderline, or At Risk status with a trajectory chart. No other platform offers this.

Pricing starts under £20/month with a 30-day money-back guarantee. The adaptive practice engine, called Einstein, analyses every answer to generate targeted sessions focused on each child's specific gaps. The Writing Studio provides structured rubric-based feedback on written compositions. Parent dashboard includes mastery score, practice streak, areas to strengthen, and weekly progress reports.

Best for: families targeting specific grammar or independent schools who want a school-calibrated readiness score, creative writing support, and the broadest exam board coverage available.

2. Atom Learning, Best for Pure GL/CEM Practice Volume

Atom Learning is the most established name in the market and has built a large content library for GL Assessment and CEM preparation. Its adaptive system is well-developed, and the parent dashboard provides useful progress data.

The limitations are clear: it costs £39.99/month (more than double EdifyPod Nexus), offers only a 5-day free trial, covers only 4 subjects (no creative writing), does not cover CSSE or ISEB, and does not offer target school admission tracking.

Atom Learning suits families who are already familiar with the platform, are targeting GL Assessment or CEM schools only, and do not need creative writing support.

Best for: existing Atom Learning users or families with no creative writing requirement targeting GL/CEM grammar schools.

3. Bond Online, Best Budget Option

Bond Online is the digital extension of the well-known Bond workbook series that many parents recognise from their own childhoods. At around £9.99/month, it is the most affordable structured platform on this list.

The trade-offs are significant: Bond Online covers GL Assessment only, offers limited adaptive functionality compared to EdifyPod Nexus or Atom, has a basic parent dashboard, and does not include creative writing or target school tracking. It works well as a supplementary resource or for budget-conscious families in GL Assessment regions.

Best for: families in GL Assessment regions on a tight budget who want structured question practice to supplement other resources.

4. CGP Online, Best for Curriculum-Aligned Topic Practice

CGP is a trusted name in educational publishing, and its online platform offers solid topic-by-topic practice aligned to GL Assessment. At around £9.99/month with no free trial, it is best used as a targeted revision tool rather than a primary preparation platform.

CGP Online lacks adaptive difficulty, a meaningful parent dashboard, creative writing support, and target school tracking. It is more useful for reinforcing specific topics, fractions, verbal reasoning codes, than for building a holistic preparation programme.

Best for: targeted subject revision alongside a primary preparation platform.

5. Third Space Learning, Best for Live Online Tutoring

Third Space Learning occupies a different category: it is primarily a live online tutoring service, not a self-serve preparation platform. Sessions are delivered one-to-one by trained tutors and are priced per session, making it significantly more expensive than any of the platforms above.

Third Space is best used alongside a self-serve platform like EdifyPod Nexus: the platform provides daily adaptive practice while a weekly tutor session reviews progress and addresses complex topics. The two are complementary rather than competing.

Best for: families who want live human tutor support to complement daily self-serve practice.

Summary Comparison Table

EdifyPod Nexus: under £20/month, 30-day money-back guarantee, 5 subjects, GL + CEM + CSSE + ISEB, target school tracking, writing feedback, adaptive. Atom Learning: £39.99/month, 5-day trial, 4 subjects, GL + CEM only, no target tracking, no writing, adaptive. Bond Online: £9.99/month, 7-day trial, 4 subjects, GL only, no target tracking, no writing, limited adaptive. CGP Online: £9.99/month, no trial, 4 subjects, GL only, no target tracking, no writing, not adaptive. Third Space Learning: per-session pricing, free assessment, live tutoring only.

For most families preparing for grammar school or independent school entrance exams, EdifyPod Nexus offers the strongest combination of features, price, and trial length. Its unique Target School Admission Tracking feature is particularly valuable for families who have specific schools in mind and want measurable, school-calibrated progress data rather than general percentage scores.

Note: Competitor pricing and trial lengths are correct as of May 2026. Verify on competitor websites before making decisions, as these can change.