Compared
Preparing for the fide test online: the options compared
There are free official materials, several online apps with AI feedback and classic courses. Here is what each one offers, what it costs and who it suits – checked on 5 November 2026 on the providers’ own websites. We run testfide.com, one of the options, and say so where it matters.
The options at a glance
| Option | Price | Languages | Feedback on speaking and writing | Free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official model test (fide-service.ch) | Free | German, French, Italian | No – answers to compare yourself | Everything |
| testfide.com | Free; Plus USD 35 (about CHF 29) once for 60 days | German, French; explanations in 12 languages | AI feedback on texts and recordings, scored by the points of the test handbook | One text and one recording without an account, then 2 texts and 1 recording a day with a Google sign-in |
| exam-fide.ch | CHF 40 once for 12 months | German, French, Italian | AI feedback (“virtual examiners”) on writing and speaking | Level test, sample test, one text correction with a free account |
| FIDE Practice App (fidepractice.ch) | CHF 35 a week, CHF 69 a month, CHF 129 for 3 months, CHF 239 for 6 months | German, French, Italian | AI examiner for speaking, AI feedback on writing | Free plan with 1 of 11 speaking themes and limited AI evaluations |
| FIDE Prep (fideprep.ch) | CHF 49 once for 3 months | German, French | Mock speaking and listening papers; AI feedback not mentioned | Vocabulary, flashcards, dialogue videos; one mock speaking exam with a free account |
| Fide Prep app (fide-prep.ch) | Prices not shown on the homepage | Mainly German | Conversation and picture description, scored against the official criteria | Module 1 free |
| Course at a language school | Usually several hundred francs | Depends on the school | From a teacher | Rarely |
Prices and features come from the providers’ websites (as of 5 November 2026) and can change. None of these options, ours included, is part of the official fide secretariat.
Which one suits whom?
- You first want to see the format: the official model test on fide-service.ch, with tasks, answers and audio files.
- You want feedback right away without signing up, or explanations in your own language (for example Albanian, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, Turkish, Russian, Ukrainian or Persian): testfide.com.
- You are preparing over many months or taking the test in Italian: exam-fide.ch, 12 months for CHF 40.
- You want lots of conversation practice with an AI examiner and don’t mind a weekly or monthly price: the FIDE Practice App.
- You learn best with a teacher: a course. The fide secretariat advises checking commercial offers carefully.
What about ChatGPT?
A general chatbot can correct texts and play the examiner if you give it good instructions. On its own, though, it doesn’t know the exact fide tasks, the scoring points of the test handbook, Swiss vocabulary or how much time you have. Practice platforms build that in. Either way, work through the official model test once before your exam.
What testfide does differently
- You start straight away: the first text and the first recording are evaluated without an account.
- Scoring follows the points of the fide test handbook (May 2026) – for the B1 letter, for example, 3 points worth 0, 1.5 or 3 each.
- Mistakes are explained in English or 11 other languages if you like; example sentences and model answers stay in German or French.
- The whole test to practise: listening with audio, phone call, picture description, conversation, reading, letter and email, plus a timed mock test.
Something missing or a price out of date? Write to support@testfide.com and we will correct the comparison.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there free online fide test practice with feedback?
- Yes. The official model test is free but has no feedback. testfide.com evaluates one text and one recording without an account, then 2 texts and 1 recording a day after a free Google sign-in. exam-fide.ch corrects one text with a free account; the FIDE Practice App has a free plan with limited AI evaluations.
- Which fide app is the cheapest?
- Per month, exam-fide.ch at CHF 40 for 12 months. testfide Plus costs USD 35 (about CHF 29) once for 60 days, FIDE Prep CHF 49 for 3 months, the FIDE Practice App CHF 69 a month or CHF 35 a week (as of 5 November 2026).
- Are these apps official?
- No. All of them are independent. The official materials, including the model test, are published by the fide secretariat on fide-service.ch.
Sources: fide test handbook (May 2026), regulations for taking the fide test (October 2026) and fide-service.ch. As of November 2026; the information from the fide secretariat and your authority is what counts.