Best App for the Polish B1 Exam: 6 Tools Compared (2026)
Exam Guide
Key takeaways
- No app replaces the official sample tests — they are free and use the real format.
- For closed tasks (listening, reading, grammar), tests and free exercises are enough.
- Writing and speaking need criteria-based marking — an answer key cannot give it.
- Duolingo and Anki help with vocabulary but do not teach the B1 exam format.
The best app for the Polish B1 exam is one that trains the exam format, not just vocabulary. The exam has five parts — listening, reading, grammar, writing and speaking — and you need at least 50% in each, so a single vocabulary tool is not enough.
We compared six popular sources: the official sample tests, PolishReady, Polski B1 (polishb1.pl), PolskiPro, Duolingo and Anki. We describe them from what their own sites say, as of October 2026. PolishReady is our product; we describe it in the same format as the rest.
The short answer: start with the official tests to learn the format. Pick one exam app for daily practice of the closed tasks. For writing and speaking you need marking against the exam criteria — from a teacher or a tool that scores text and recordings.
General language apps such as Duolingo are good for getting started and building a daily habit, but they do not reproduce certificate exam tasks such as a formal letter or a photo description.
When you choose, check three things: does the tool have tasks in the state exam format, does it score writing and speaking (not only keyed tasks), and does it show your result for each part separately?
If you are short on time, a combination that works is: the official tests to check your level, one exam app for daily practice, and regular scoring of your writing and speaking.
Official sample tests — best for learning the format
Free papers from the State Commission on certyfikatpolski.pl, with audio and answer keys. They are the only materials that fully match the exam. The downside: they are PDF and audio files, and you have to mark writing and speaking yourself.
PolishReady — best for scoring handwriting and speaking
A browser-based platform for the B1, B2 and C1 exams, with tasks from all five parts. You write your letter by hand, take a photo and get it scored against the exam criteria; you record spoken answers and they are scored too. The interface is in Polish, Ukrainian, English and Russian.
The free start includes starter modules plus one writing and one speaking evaluation. More evaluations come with the paid plans.
Polski B1 (polishb1.pl) — best free practice with no sign-up
A free browser site with six exam-format practice packs, AI-scored practice for the photo description, monologue and writing, and a beginner course. It works without an account, and there is also an iPhone app.
You type your writing into a text box rather than writing by hand. According to the site, its exercises and texts are made with AI help and then checked by the authors.
PolskiPro — a mobile app with tasks from an examiner
An iPhone and Android app with B1-format listening, reading, grammar and writing tasks. Its makers say the tasks were written and checked by an examiner, with no AI-generated content. The download is free, and some content is an in-app purchase. The site does not mention speaking practice.
Duolingo — good for habit and basics
A free app with a paid premium tier, good for daily review of words and simple sentences. It has no B1 exam-format tasks and no scoring of letters or spoken answers, so treat it as an extra.
Anki — best for vocabulary
A spaced-repetition flashcard program: free on desktop and Android, paid on iPhone. Learn whole sentences rather than single words, for example Chciałbym złożyć reklamację. Anki does not teach the exam format — it is a memory tool.
Which app should I choose for the B1 exam?
It depends on which part of the exam is your weakest.
- You don’t know the format yet: the official sample tests.
- You want free daily practice: Polski B1 or PolishReady’s free start.
- Handwriting and speaking scored against the criteria: PolishReady.
- You prefer a mobile app with closed tasks: PolskiPro.
- Vocabulary: Anki; a daily habit: Duolingo.
Questions about apps for the B1 exam
What is the best free app for the Polish B1 exam?
The best free source is the official sample tests on certyfikatpolski.pl. For free daily practice in the exam format, Polski B1 (no sign-up) and PolishReady’s free start both work.
Is Duolingo enough for the B1 exam?
No. Duolingo helps with vocabulary and habit, but it has no certificate exam tasks and does not score letters or spoken answers.
Which app scores handwritten writing?
PolishReady scores a photo of your handwritten letter against the exam criteria. That matters because at the B1 exam you write with a pen on paper.
Can an app replace a course?
It can replace part of one if you regularly practise all five parts and get your writing and speaking scored. With big gaps in grammar, a teacher will speed things up.