Best TOPIK Apps in 2026: Vocabulary, Past Papers, and Mock Tests Compared

Quick comparison

Note: prices, plans, and update status change over time — always check the store page. This table and the prices below were compiled from US App Store pages in August 2026; "Last updated" is the most recent version date shown in each app's version history at that time. All five run on iOS and Android (Anki also has a desktop version).

5 things to check before you choose

The table columns aren't random — when picking a TOPIK app, check these five in order:

1. Data source — this decides translation quality. Is it an official dictionary, or a self-made word list (or machine translation)? Memorize a wrong definition and you lose points directly on test day.
2. Level mapping — can you study only the words your target level needs? A word list that mixes level-5 words into your level-2 goal wastes your time.
3. Quiz formats — just flip-cards, or multiple question types? Memory is built on active recall; reading without testing doesn't stick.
4. Past exams and explanation language — can you drill real past questions inside the app, and can you actually understand the explanations? Checking answers without reading explanations won't improve your reading score.
5. Price model — subscription or one-time? Compare by total cost over your prep period (3 months to a year), not the monthly sticker. Especially for vocabulary: rather than juggling several word books and apps, pick one trustworthy source and finish it — scattering your progress and review history across tools costs more to rebuild than it saves.

App by app

TOPIK Note — vocabulary + past-exam reading in one place

Best for: building from official data, from vocabulary all the way to past-exam reading (levels 1–6)

TOPIK Note's core difference is the data source: every definition, pronunciation, and example sentence comes from the Basic Korean Dictionary (krdict) of the National Institute of Korean Language, curated by a native-Korean team — not a machine-translated word list. It covers:

• 7,000+ words sorted by TOPIK level (1–6)
• 4 quiz types per word (Korean→meaning, meaning→Korean, fill-in-the-blank, sentence reading) — not just flip-cards
• SRS review scheduling based on the forgetting curve
• 21 real past exams, 870+ reading questions with English explanations
• Fully usable offline

Word order isn't alphabetical either — it follows how often words actually appear in past exams. Our analysis of 21 past papers found that the 1,000 most frequent words cover 98.6% of TOPIK I reading passages (full data in this analysis). Studying the most-tested words first is the highest-ROI order.

Price (US): premium is $10.99/month, $64.99/year, or a $79.99 one-time purchase (pay once, keep forever). If your prep runs longer than half a year — or you want to keep your Korean after the test — the one-time option means no subscription clock.

Weak points: no full timed mock-test mode, and no writing feedback. For TOPIK II 쓰기 you'll need another tool or a human grader.

Migii TOPIK — mock exams and AI essay grading

Best for: test-format practice once your vocabulary is in place (especially TOPIK II)

Migii plays a different position than vocabulary apps — it's an exam simulator. Four real strengths:

• Full timed mock tests for TOPIK I/II and EPS-TOPIK, with a score and level prediction at the end
• Real past official questions, with listening, reading, and writing drills by section
• AI feedback on writing — the only app of the five that grades 쓰기, and the main reason TOPIK II candidates use it
• Personalized study plans and progress tracking

Two things to know. First, most core features unlock only with a subscription — the free tier is limited. Second, the US plans come in many tiers (practice packages $14.99–59.99, Premium $32.99/$44.99), so read carefully what each one unlocks and for how long. Some screens also still show in Korean.

TOPIK - 한국어능력시험 — the popular free all-in-one

Best for: a zero-cost starting point to feel out the exam format

A widely downloaded freemium app covering listening, reading, writing, vocabulary (a 6,000+ word list), and mock tests, with an English interface. As a free way to get familiar with question formats, it's a reasonable first stop — and its paid tier ($4.99/mo, $29.99/yr, or $49.99 one-time) is cheap.

The trade-off sits exactly at check #1: the word lists and mock questions are self-made, and the store page doesn't disclose their source. If a definition or a mock question drifts from how the real exam words things, you won't know until test day. Fine as a supplement; risky as your single source of truth.

Anki — maximum freedom, maximum overhead

Best for: experienced Anki users who want a fully custom word bank

A general-purpose SRS tool with a mature algorithm and unlimited flexibility. For TOPIK specifically, three real costs:

• Decks are on you: shared TOPIK decks vary wildly — wrong definitions and unmarked levels are common. Vetting, fixing, and maintaining them is your time
• No question types: flip-cards by default; active-recall quiz formats mean building templates yourself
• iOS costs money: desktop and AnkiDroid (Android) are free, but AnkiMobile on iPhone is a $24.99 one-time purchase

Anki works best as a second-stage tool: build your base with a ready-made TOPIK app, then export your own weak words into a deck for fine-tuning.

Duolingo — a great habit, not a TOPIK plan

Best for: building a daily Korean habit before (or alongside) exam prep

Duolingo's Korean course is excellent at what it's designed for: making you show up every day. But it isn't aligned to TOPIK — no level-mapped vocabulary, no past-exam questions, no exam-format reading practice. Super Duolingo runs $9.99–12.99/month in the US, which over a 6-month prep window costs more than most dedicated TOPIK tools while covering the least exam-relevant ground. Keep it for streaks and fundamentals; don't count it as exam prep.

What your prep actually costs (US, 6-month example)

Using check #5, here's the total for a 6-month prep window (all prices from US App Store pages, August 2026):

Two common stacks, priced:

• TOPIK I self-study: one solid vocabulary + past-exam app covers it — a $79.99 one-time purchase (or $64.99/year) and you're fully equipped.
• TOPIK II sprint: TOPIK Note (vocabulary + reading) + Migii (mock tests + 쓰기 feedback) — roughly $80 + one Migii tier. Still far below a single term of academy classes, if you actually follow the schedule.

Which stack for which level

• Target TOPIK I (levels 1–2): one main app is enough. Want official-dictionary data plus past-exam reading, pick TOPIK Note; want a zero-cost format-familiarizer first, start with the free TOPIK app and upgrade when definitions start to matter. Build reading stamina with real past papers in the last month.
• Target TOPIK II (levels 3–4): TOPIK Note (intermediate vocabulary + past-exam reading) + Migii (timed mocks). For 쓰기, use Migii's AI feedback or a human grader.
• Target advanced (levels 5–6): TOPIK Note advanced words + repeated past papers + heavy reading of news and long-form text. At this level the bottleneck is rarely the app — it's reading volume.

Whatever your level, the order is the same: vocabulary → reading → mock tests. Grinding mock tests on a thin vocabulary base plateaus fast. (How many words each level actually needs: see the level-target table here.)

FAQ

Written by the TOPIK Note team. We build one of the apps compared above, so we've kept the comparison factual — every app's strengths are listed as they are, prices are from US App Store pages as of August 2026, and the right pick depends on your level and weak areas.