The simple decision rule
Use a free IELTS essay checker first. If the result only gives a generic score, do not pay. If it identifies your weakest criterion and the exact reason your essay is capped below your target band, a paid report can be worth it because it gives you the repair path.
Free checker is enough when
- You only need a rough band estimate.
- You are checking whether IELTS Writing is your real bottleneck.
- You do not plan to rewrite the essay after reading feedback.
Paid checker is worth it when
- You need sentence-level evidence, not only a score.
- You want the first 3 fixes to apply before writing another draft.
- You are stuck around 6 or 6.5 and need to know which criterion is blocking Band 7.
What the $4.99 full report should unlock
TR / CC / LR / GRA evidence for this essay
Sentence-level rewrite direction for weak lines
A short repair order so you know what to fix first