How to Choose an 11+ App: 8 Things to Check Before You Pay
On the pricing page, 11+ apps all look roughly the same: adaptive practice, mock tests, progress tracking, a monthly fee. The differences that actually matter for your child are the ones you only find by looking past the marketing. Here are the eight, and a checklist you can run through in about ten minutes with any app's free version open in front of you.
Check 1
Does it match your child's exam board and question format?
This is the one that undoes everything else if you get it wrong. A GL Assessment area is multiple choice; Essex's CSSE is written answers; the ISEB Common Pre-Test is online and adaptive; some consortia set their own bespoke papers. An app built around multiple-choice GL questions is poor preparation for a child sitting CSSE, no matter how good the questions are.
- Confirm which board your target schools use — our exam board checker matches any UK grammar or independent school to its provider.
- Then check the app names that board explicitly and shapes questions to its format, rather than offering one generic question style.
Check 2
Can you genuinely try the whole thing before paying?
"Free trial" covers a wide range. Some apps give you a few sample questions; some give a time-limited full account; some need a card up front and bill you unless you cancel. What you want is enough unrestricted access to see how your child actually responds to it over a week or two.
- Look for: no card required to start, a trial measured in weeks not hours, and access to the real question banks rather than a demo set.
- SharpY Mind's core practice is free and unlimited with no account and no card, capped at 40 questions a day; an optional Family Account adds a 14-day unrestricted trial on top.
Check 3
What is the true cost — across your whole prep window and every child?
Preparation typically runs 12–24 months. A £25/month app is £300–£600 over that period; some apps charge per child, so two siblings double it. Annual plans discount the monthly rate but lock in the spend.
- Multiply the monthly fee by the number of months you'll realistically use it, then by the number of children.
- Compare that to the alternatives in our honest cost breakdown of DIY, apps and tutoring.
Check 4
What does it collect about your child — and does it require an account?
Many 11+ apps ask for a full child profile at signup: name, date of birth, school, year group, sometimes a photo, and then display the child's real name in the interface and store the record on their servers. For a two-year engagement with a primary-age child, that is a meaningful amount of sensitive data.
- Check whether the app works at all without an account, what a child profile actually requires, and how you delete the data.
- SharpY Mind's core app needs no account and never asks for a child's name, age or school — see why we never ask for your child's name.
Check 5
Is every wrong answer explained?
A score alone teaches a child nothing. The learning happens in the moment after a mistake, when a clear worked explanation shows why the right answer is right. Check this directly: get a question wrong on purpose in the free version and see what comes back.
- Look for a full worked solution on every question and subject, not just a tick or cross, and not only on maths.
- SharpY Mind shows a worked-solution explanation automatically on a wrong answer, reviewable afterwards.
Check 6
Does it cover reasoning, not just maths and English?
If your area tests verbal and non-verbal reasoning — most GL areas do — an app that only does maths and English leaves a third of the exam uncovered. Reasoning is learnable when it's taught as a finite set of question types, so the app should treat it as a proper strand.
- Check for dedicated verbal and non-verbal reasoning practice with worked answers. Our VR vs NVR guide explains which exams test each.
Check 7
Does it adapt — by year group and to weak areas?
A fixed question set doesn't know your child. Useful adaptivity means the difficulty tracks the child's year and current level, and practice is steered back toward the topics they're getting wrong rather than the ones they've already mastered.
- Check that you can set a year group, and that after a run of questions the app visibly targets weak topics.
- SharpY Mind adapts by year band (Year 3–5) and by target board, and flags weak areas for follow-up.
Check 8
Does it give you, the parent, a usable picture?
You need to know where things stand without sitting next to your child every session. A good parent view shows accuracy by topic, a trend over time, and a clear "focus here next" — not just a stream of scores.
- Check the parent report is specific and actionable, and whether it's kept over time or only shows the latest session.
The ten-minute checklist
- Names your child's exact exam board and matches its format (MCQ / written / adaptive)
- Full free access or a weeks-long trial, no card required
- Total cost across your whole prep window × every child is one you're happy with
- Works without an account; doesn't demand your child's name, DOB or school; easy to delete
- Every wrong answer gets a worked explanation, in every subject
- Proper verbal and non-verbal reasoning practice (if your exam tests them)
- Adapts by year group and steers toward weak topics
- Parent view shows topic accuracy, a trend, and what to do next
Frequently asked questions
Are 11+ apps worth it?
A well-matched app is a cost-effective way to build fluency and cover ground between lessons or instead of a tutor, because it gives daily low-friction practice with instant marking. It is weaker at extended writing feedback and at motivating a reluctant child on its own. The value depends almost entirely on fit: an app built around the wrong exam-board format can actively mislead. Try one properly before you commit money.
How much should an 11+ app cost?
Paid 11 plus apps commonly charge from around £10 to £60 a month, sometimes per child. Over an 18-month preparation window that is a wide range — roughly £180 to well over £1,000. Some apps, including SharpY Mind, offer unlimited core practice free, with an optional paid tier for cloud sync and sibling profiles. Always work out the total cost across your whole preparation period and every child who will use it, not the headline monthly figure.
Can an 11+ app replace a tutor?
For many families, yes — particularly for building number fluency, vocabulary, reasoning technique and exam pacing, which are exactly what regular short practice improves. A tutor adds most value for a child who needs accountability, has specific gaps that need diagnosing, or is sitting a written-answer paper such as CSSE where extended writing needs marking. Plenty of families use an app as the backbone and add a small number of targeted tutor sessions.
What should I check before paying for an 11+ subscription?
Check that the question format matches your child's actual exam board; that you can trial the full app, not a cut-down demo; the true cost across your whole preparation period and all siblings; what personal data it collects about your child and whether an account is required; whether every wrong answer is explained; whether it covers verbal and non-verbal reasoning if your exam tests them; whether it adapts to weak areas; and whether it gives you a parent-facing progress view.
Related SharpY Mind resources
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