COMPARISON
Which marking path fits you?
Not affiliate fluff — practical tables for Cambridge and IB students revising with past papers, mark schemes, and free courses.
Workflow
Marking workflow
| Option | Cost | Speed | Handwriting | Strictness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-mark with official mark scheme | Free | Slow | N/A | Often too generous |
| MarkScheme (second pass) | Free tier | ~30s per question | Yes — photo upload | Scheme- / markband-aligned |
| Private tutor | High | Days to weeks | Sometimes | Depends on tutor |
Best workflow: self-mark strictly once, then MarkScheme on the same script for a second pass before your next paper.
Platforms
Revision platforms (marking + courses)
| Platform | Best for | Marking | Courses / notes | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MarkScheme | Marking handwriting + free Cambridge & IB courses | Cambridge schemes + IB markbands | Yes — /courses and /ib/courses | Free tier |
| Save My Exams | Paid all-in-one notes & topic questions | Limited AI on short answers | Notes & questions (subscription) | Freemium / paid |
| Physics & Maths Tutor | Free STEM notes & past-paper PDFs | Self-mark with PDF schemes only | Notes, not full lessons | Free |
| ZNotes | Concise free notes across subjects | None | Summary notes | Free |
| Revision Village (IB) | IB Maths AA/AI question banks | Worked solutions, not your handwriting | Video + questions (paid tiers) | Freemium / paid |
| ChatGPT / generic AI | Explaining concepts | Not tied to session mark schemes | No syllabus structure | Varies |
Deep dives: best online tools for Cambridge & IB, free Cambridge resources, free IB resources.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
- Is MarkScheme better than Save My Exams for marking?
- Save My Exams excels at organised notes and topic questions (mostly paid). MarkScheme targets second-pass marking of your handwriting against real schemes plus free Cambridge and IB courses. Many students use both: SME for notes, MarkScheme for marking.
- Can MarkScheme replace a tutor?
- Tutors give personalised teaching; MarkScheme gives fast scheme-aligned feedback on practice papers. Best workflow: self-mark, then MarkScheme second pass, then ask a tutor only for concepts you still cannot fix.
- What is the best free Cambridge and IB revision stack?
- Official past papers + mark schemes, free notes (PMT/ZNotes), MarkScheme for marking and courses, and Exam Room for peer help. Full breakdown: markscheme.app/blog/best-online-tools-cambridge-ib-marking-courses-2026
See it on your own handwriting
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