When ETS Pipplet Shuts Down: Why Schools & Companies Should Consider Tracktest as the Ideal Alternative
ETS has announced that the Pipplet platform will be phased out by December 20, 2025. After that date, access to the Pipplet platform (tests, reports, data) will no longer be possible.
This change creates urgency for organisations—such as schools, language training providers, corporations, and HR teams—to find alternative tools to continue assessing language skills effectively. In this post, we’ll compare Pipplet and Tracktest, explore what matters in a migration, and show why Tracktest is a strong option.
Pipplet at a Glance & What the Shutdown Means
What Pipplet offered:
- Online language proficiency tests in 30‐40+ languages.
- Assessments of all four core skills: speaking, writing, reading, and listening.
- CEFR alignment.
- Flexible use by recruiters, training centres, schools; custom branding; reports; credit‐based purchasing.
What the shutdown means:
- Recruitment/assessment workflows will need replacement tools or risk disruption.
- After December 20, 2025, all platform access ends; all data (unless exported) will be lost.
- Credits expire on that date. Unused credits, depending on when purchased, may be refundable or non‐refundable.
Organizations must ensure they retrieve all test data, reports, and evidence needed for compliance, accreditation, or record keeping.
Tracktest: What It Offers
Before comparing directly, here’s what Tracktest offers:
- Online English proficiency assessment aligned with the CEFR
- Tests include core skills (grammar/use of English, reading, listening) plus optional speaking & writing sections
- A platform designed for companies, schools, and individuals. Administrative tools for managing test campaigns, analysing results, tracking student/candidate progress
- Flexible payment (credits per student or test) without long‐term tie‐in
- Free placement tests; sample/mocked‐up tests for B1, B2, etc., Practice materials
- Certificate options, verified exams with online proctoring, speaking & writing exam components
Head‐to‐Head: Pipplet vs. Tracktest
| Feature / Criterion | Pipplet Strengths | How Tracktest Measures Up / Differences |
|---|---|---|
| CEFR alignment & coverage of language levels | Strong alignment; multiple levels; multiple languages | ✅ Tracktest also maps to CEFR; multiple levels; tests correspond to A1→C2 schema (or equivalent). Optional speaking & writing for higher fidelity |
| Languages supported | Over 40 languages across many language families | ❌ Tracktest is currently focused on English only |
| Skills assessed | All four skills (speaking, writing, reading, listening) | ✅ Tracktest covers receptive skills (reading, listening, grammar) plus speaking & writing as optional or separate components |
| Turnaround time / Speed of results | Pipplet offered rapid results. Often within ~24 hours for some components | ✅ Tracktest gives immediate feedback for receptive skills; speaking/writing sections are rated by human assessors within 48 hours. |
| Test administration / Platform Features | Pipplet had a clean dashboard, ability to send test invitations, manage credit purchases, branding, test export (CSV / PDF) | ✅ Tracktest also uses a credit/test purchase model; tends to be flexible; no long‐term contract needed; good for organizations to scale up/down |
| Scalability / Pricing / Flexibility | Pay‐as‐you‐go credits; minimum orders for certain test types; credit expiration; some constraints | ✅ Tracktest also uses a credit/test purchase model; tends to be flexible; no minimum orders, no long‐term contract needed; good for organizations to scale up/down |
| User / Candidate Experience | Multi‐language interface; speaking/writing tasks; real scenario contexts | ✅ Tracktest has user‐friendly interface; placement tests; sample tests to prepare; mobile/desktop compatible |
| Data & Reporting | Robust reporting, ability to export candidate results, CSV/PDF; custom reports | ✅ Similarly, Tracktest offers certificate reports, results dashboards, ability to monitor cohorts, export data |
Where Tracktest Might Need More Than What Pipplet Offered (or What to Watch)
For some organizations, there are trade‐offs when switching platforms:
- Multi-Language Testing
If your organization needed assessments in many different languages (beyond English), Pipplet’s broad language support was an advantage. Tracktest focuses on English. If you need French, German, Spanish, Arabic etc., you’ll need to check if another vendor supports it. - Speaking & Writing Turnaround Time
Because speaking and writing sections typically require human evaluation, the delay may be longer than for receptive sections. If your use case demands extremely fast full‐skill certification, make sure you use Express delivery of results from Tracktest, with the results available within 48 hours. - Feature Parity / Customization
If you had workflows tailored in Pipplet (e.g. custom industry content, branding, integrations with HR / LMS systems, etc.), you’ll want to ensure Tracktest can match or can be customized or integrated suitably. - Legacy Data
You’ll need to export all data, certificates, and reports from Pipplet in time, and figure out how to map, import or reference them in your org’s records so there is continuity.
How to Migrate from Pipplet to Tracktest: A Checklist
| Step | What to Do | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Audit your current usage of Pipplet | List all ongoing assessments, contracts, remaining credits, candidate reports, certificates, etc. | To know what needs to be preserved, what volume of testing you’ll need going forward, and budget implications |
| 2. Export all your data from Pipplet | Before the shutdown date: download all reports (PDF), export candidate results, history (CSV), any data needed for compliance | After Dec 20, 2025, Pipplet access ends; data will not be retrievable |
| 3. Define your requirements moving forward | Which skills (speaking, writing, reading, listening) do you need? Which languages? What speed of result? What volume? What reporting/output formats? Do you need API / LMS integrations? | So you can evaluate alternatives and ensure Tracktest (or any candidate) meets them |
| 4. Trial or pilot with Tracktest | Try a test batch in Tracktest: use core test, practice version; trial speaking/writing sections; get feedback from test‐takers and administrators | To ensure user satisfaction, estimate turnaround, and test platform operations |
| 5. Map Certificates & Benchmarks | Determine how Tracktest CEFR levels map to your previous Pipplet levels / sub‐levels, so that previous data remains meaningful in selection, placement, progression | Maintains fairness, coherence in HR or educational decision‐making |
| 6. Plan budget and contracts | Decide on how many tests you’ll need, negotiate pricing (bulk or credits), consider ongoing payment plan | Avoid overpaying; ensure capacity; avoid disruption in the transition period |
| 7. Train your administrative / HR / teaching staff | Make sure people who assign, manage, interpret the tests understand Tracktest’s dashboards, timelines, report formats | To avoid delays or mistakes when the old system is no longer accessible |
| 8. Communicate with stakeholders | Let learners, staff, and applicants know about the change, explain any changes in test format, waiting times, and certificates | To maintain trust, avoid confusion or disappointment |
| 9. Set cutoff/transition date | Let learners, staff, and applicants know about the change, explain any changes in test format, waiting times, and certificates. |
Why Tracktest Is A Compelling Option
Pulling this all together, here are some reasons why Tracktest is well‐suited to replace Pipplet for many use‐cases:
- Proven track record: Tracktest has been operating since 2012, serving thousands of schools, companies, and more than a million individuals across multiple countries
- CEFR alignment ensures your assessment criteria remain comparable
- Flexibility and transparency: you don’t have to commit to long contracts; you can scale usage; you see clear reports
- Good user/candidate experience, including placement & mock tests to help prepare
- Cost efficiency: because you pay for what you use, avoid paying for unused credits after Pipplet shuts down
Conclusion
The shutdown of Pipplet forces a necessary transition. For many companies and schools, switching to Tracktest offers a stable, well‐designed, CEFR‐aligned, flexible, and user‐friendly solution. While no tool matches Pipplet in every respect (especially in multi‐language breadth), Tracktest covers English extremely well and can meet, in many cases, exceed what you need if your priority is solid, reliable, and cost‐effective language assessment.