Every day, people write to me with moving stories. They want a 110+ TOEFL score. They’re ready to work. They ask for free credits. We’ve tried to meet them where they are. Each time we opened the door to “free,” we were hit by a stampede of fraud: throwaway emails, bots, recycled coupons, and account farms. The people we hoped to help were crowded out by abuse.
This is the hard post I’ve put off writing. It explains why we no longer run “free” access, what we tried, what went wrong, and how we’ll support serious learners without collapsing the system.
What We Tried (Every Time) vs. What Actually Happened
Short version: good intent was overwhelmed by misaligned incentives.
The Practical Explanation
1) Real costs exist
Every score uses real infrastructure: ASR, feature extraction, model inference, storage, monitoring, and human time. If we remove the price signal, demand becomes effectively infinite while costs stay real. That math does not close.
2) “Free” distorts behavior
When usage has no marginal cost to the user, the system attracts automation and arbitrage. Coupon scraping, botting, resale groups, and credential sharing crowd out sincere learners.
3) Abuse punishes the people we want to help
Abuse floods queues, slows scoring, and forces rate limits that also hit genuine students. The result is worse service for everyone, including the very people who wrote to us for help.
4) The $300 paradox
We see a pattern: some who request unlimited free practice also find a way to pay ETS about $300 for the official test. When the outcome is certified, the money appears. When the work is preparation, it often doesn’t. That gap is about priorities, not only resources.
The Philosophical Explanation
- Dignity in exchange
A clear price for a clear value respects both sides. Students get reliable scoring and improvements they can trust. We keep the lights on, improve the product, and show up tomorrow. - Justice vs. mercy at scale
Case-by-case mercy feels right, but at scale it becomes opaque and unfair. A consistent policy treats similar cases similarly. That builds trust. - Tragedy of the commons
Open access to a costly shared resource invites overuse. Guardrails preserve the commons so everyone benefits predictably. - Preparation is part of the exam
Treating preparation as optional or “should be free” devalues the very work that raises scores. Preparation is where transformation happens.
What We Will Do Every Day Instead
- Stable, transparent pricing
Clear plans that reflect real costs and fund continuous improvement. - Permanent free learning
Strategy articles, checklists, and lessons that never require a login. Anyone can study core methods daily. - Occasional, targeted support
Scholarships or sponsored access when we partner with verifiable institutions or donors. Transparent criteria. Limited scope. Auditable. - Efficient tooling for serious learners
Fast scoring, clear feedback on SpeechRater Dimensions, and guidance to balance scores across fluency, delivery, and content.
If You Cannot Pay Today: A Daily, No-Excuses Study Plan
- Day 1–3: Mechanics
Calibrate mic, quiet room, consistent distance. Record 4 Task-1 attempts/day. Target 120–160 WPM with controlled pausing. - Day 4–10: Structure
Use a reliable template for Task 1 and the summary-then-reasons pattern for Task 2/3/4. Time your notes and delivery. - Day 11–14: Balance
Alternate focus by day: Delivery (pace, chunking), Language Use (accuracy, range), Topic Development (logic, coverage). - Daily habit: 12–18 minutes of deliberate practice beats one long session of rambling speech.
You can do all of this with a phone recorder and a timer. When you’re ready to invest, scoring turns that practice into precise, data-powered feedback.
Policy Snapshot (Plain Language)
- We do not offer unlimited free credits.
- We do not run open “free weekends,” public promo codes, or case-by-case hardship waivers.
- We may run verifiable, limited scholarships with partners who can validate identity and need.
- Abuse controls are permanent and non-negotiable.
FAQ
Why not geo-pricing or means testing?
Both invite the same abuse vectors we experienced with “free”: VPNs, identity laundering, resale markets. The enforcement burden shifts costs to honest users.
Can you just give one free credit to everyone?
We tried. One becomes many through throwaway accounts and farms. The cleanup cost exceeds the benefit and delays service for real students.
What about strict ID verification for free access?
Heavy verification adds friction, privacy risk, and support load. We prefer to keep verification proportionate for all users.
Why mention the ETS $300 fee?
Because it reveals a consistent pattern: when certification is on the line, funds are found. Preparation delivers outsized return on that investment. We’re asking learners to align spending with impact.
Isn’t this punishing genuine hardship?
No. It is protecting the service that genuine learners rely on. We will keep high-quality learning materials free and pursue targeted scholarships with reliable partners.
If I can only buy a few credits, how should I use them?
Batch practice first. Then purchase credits to diagnose and tune. Use scores to identify the lowest SpeechRater Dimensions and run short, targeted sprints to balance your profile.
Do you sell data or upsell aggressively to make up for this?
No. Our model is straightforward: paid scoring funds accurate, reliable improvements.
What about refunds?
We refund for genuine technical failures that are our responsibility. We do not refund for outcomes unrelated to platform performance.
Closing
We receive heartfelt requests every day. We read them. We respect them. We also protect the platform so it can serve the students who put in the work. Preparation matters. Invest where it moves the score.
If you represent a university, NGO, or sponsor that can verifiably support learners, contact us about a limited scholarship partnership with clear criteria and anti-abuse enforcement.