If you are taking PTE Core for Canadian PR or citizenship, Exam Hero is the APEUni alternative built for exactly that. Every mock test gives you a score and an estimated CLB level in each of the four skills, the AI Coach turns your weakest skill into a study plan, and the quarterly plan comes with a CLB 9 Score Guarantee. APEUni is a capable app for drilling questions across PTE Academic and PTE Core. Exam Hero is built around one question: are you at your CLB target in every skill yet?
Take a free PTE Core mock test to see where you stand. It takes about two hours, needs no credit card, and ends with your estimated CLB level in each skill.
What you get with Exam Hero
- 30+ full-length PTE Core mock tests. Timed and ordered like the real exam, and scored per skill with an estimated CLB level from IRCC's equivalency table, so you know which skill is holding you back.
- 900+ practice questions across all 19 scored task types. About 50 of each, including the PTE Core tasks Academic material skips, like Write Email.
- AI feedback on every speaking and writing answer. Speaking is marked on pronunciation, fluency and content, and writing on task fulfillment, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with specific suggestions for your next attempt.
- A study plan that follows your scores. The AI Coach starts with a diagnostic and plans your practice around the skill furthest from your CLB target, then adjusts as your mock scores change.
- A CLB 9 Score Guarantee. On the quarterly plan, if your official PTE Core result falls short of CLB 9 in any skill (82 Listening, 78 Reading, 84 Speaking, 88 Writing), we add a free month of access. The terms are in our refund policy.
- Free guides for the Canadian side. The PTE Core score to CLB chart, the score you need for Express Entry, and how to book in Canada.
APEUni vs Exam Hero for PTE Core at a glance
| What to compare | APEUni | Exam Hero |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | PTE Academic and PTE Core in one app | PTE Core and Canadian immigration only |
| Free to start | Yes, free practice questions | Yes, a full-length mock test plus a question in every task type, no credit card |
| Scores you see | Simulated PTE scores | A PTE Core score and an estimated CLB level for each of the four skills |
| Study plan | Self-directed practice | An AI Coach plan that targets the skill below your CLB goal |
| Score guarantee | None listed in its app listing | CLB 9 Score Guarantee on the quarterly plan |
| Paid plan | VIP in 30, 90 and 180 day plans, priced by your app store and country | Priced in Canadian dollars, with a 7-day refund guarantee on web purchases |
We make Exam Hero, so read this with that in mind. Everything we say about APEUni comes from its own app listing and release notes as of October 2026. Its VIP prices differ between app stores and countries, so check the price in the app rather than trusting a figure online. Exam Hero's plans are on the pricing page.
Why CLB, not a single PTE score, should drive your prep
IRCC does not read your overall PTE Core score. It converts each skill to a CLB level and checks every one against your program's minimum. The cut-offs are uneven: CLB 7 needs 60 in Listening and Reading but 68 in Speaking and 69 in Writing, and CLB 9 needs 88 in Writing. A good overall score can still hide one skill that sinks your application or costs you CRS points.
That is why every Exam Hero mock ends with a CLB level per skill, and why the study plan spends your time on the skill that is furthest behind instead of spreading it evenly. PTE Core and PTE Academic share many task types, but PTE Core asks for an email instead of an essay and uses everyday rather than academic contexts, so practice built for Core matches what you will see on test day.
How it works
- Take a free mock test. You get a PTE Core score and an estimated CLB level for Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing.
- Set your CLB target. The AI Coach compares each skill with it and builds a plan around the gaps.
- Practise and re-test. Drill the tasks that feed your weakest skill with AI feedback, then sit another mock to check that every skill has cleared the line.
When APEUni still makes sense
APEUni is a reasonable choice if you might sit PTE Academic as well, since one app covers both, or if you only want extra free questions to drill. Some candidates use both: APEUni for extra repetitions of short speaking tasks like Repeat Sentence, and Exam Hero for full mock tests, CLB tracking and the study plan. If you only pick one for PTE Core and a Canadian application, pick the one that tells you your CLB.
Start free today
Take a free full-length mock in the PTE Core practice tests, see your estimated CLB level in every skill, and try one question in each task type in the PTE Core question bank. No credit card needed. When you are ready, a paid plan unlocks the full question bank and every mock test, and the quarterly plan adds the CLB 9 Score Guarantee.