Study planning · · 4 min read
IELTS vs TOEFL: Which English Exam Should You Take?
An honest comparison of IELTS and TOEFL iBT: format, scoring, difficulty by skill, acceptance, cost factors and how to choose in one afternoon.
By Verbola Editorial Team · Last reviewed
If your target universities or visa category accept both IELTS and TOEFL, you get to choose your exam, and the choice matters more than most people assume. The two tests measure similar English with noticeably different formats, and most candidates are naturally half a band or several points stronger on one of them.
Here is the comparison that actually helps you decide, without pretending either test is "easier."
First: check acceptance, then stop worrying about it
Both exams are accepted by thousands of institutions worldwide, and both offer versions for study, work and migration purposes. But acceptance is program-specific and country-specific: some immigration streams specify one test, some universities list different minimums for each, and formats change. So the first step is boring and mandatory: open the official requirements pages of your target programs and write down exactly which tests and scores they accept. Only choose between exams that are actually on your list.
The formats at a glance
| IELTS (Academic) | TOEFL iBT | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | About 2 hours 45 minutes | About 2 hours |
| Scale | Bands 0 to 9 (half bands) | 0 to 120 (four sections, 0 to 30) |
| Reading | 3 passages, 40 questions, varied question types | 2 academic passages, 20 multiple-choice questions |
| Listening | Conversations and monologues, varied accents | Academic lectures and campus conversations |
| Writing | Chart or letter task plus an essay | Integrated task plus a short discussion post |
| Speaking | Face-to-face interview with an examiner | 4 recorded tasks spoken to a computer |
Two structural differences drive most people's preference, and they are worth dwelling on.
Speaking: a person or a microphone
IELTS Speaking is a live conversation with a human examiner who asks follow-up questions and can redirect you. TOEFL Speaking is four short tasks recorded against strict timers, mostly summarizing material you just read or heard.
Candidates who find conversation natural, and machines awkward, usually prefer IELTS. Candidates who freeze when a stranger watches them think usually prefer TOEFL's predictable, impersonal format. Neither reaction is about your English; both are about you, which is why this is the single best tiebreaker question. If you want to test your reaction honestly, do one IELTS-style mock interview and one TOEFL-style timed task set in the same week and compare how you felt.
Writing and the rest: question style matters
TOEFL Reading and Listening are entirely multiple choice; IELTS mixes in short answers, matching, True, False, Not Given and completion tasks that punish careless reading of instructions. TOEFL's integrated tasks demand note-taking and synthesis; IELTS Task 1 (Academic) demands describing charts precisely. TOEFL is fully typed; IELTS offers both computer and paper versions, which matters if you type slowly.
None of this makes one test harder. It makes them differently hard, and a diagnostic test of each is worth more than any listicle verdict, including this one.
Comparing the scores
ETS publishes an official comparison based on candidates who took both tests. The most commonly cited part of the range:
| IELTS overall band | TOEFL iBT total |
|---|---|
| 8.0 | 110 to 114 |
| 7.5 | 102 to 109 |
| 7.0 | 94 to 101 |
| 6.5 | 79 to 93 |
| 6.0 | 60 to 78 |
Treat these as approximations for orientation, not conversions an admissions office will do on your behalf; programs set their own requirements per test. For how each scale actually works, see our guides to IELTS band scores and TOEFL's 0 to 120 scale.
Cost, availability and results
Fees vary by country for both exams, typically in the low-to-mid hundreds of US dollars, so check local pricing rather than a global figure. Both offer home or computer-delivered options in many markets and both publish results within days rather than weeks for their computer-based versions. Availability of test dates in your city, and how quickly you need the certificate, can legitimately decide a close call.
A one-afternoon decision method
- List your programs' accepted tests and required scores. If only one exam is accepted everywhere you are applying, you are done.
- Take one shortened diagnostic of each format. Same week, similar conditions.
- Compare against the equivalence table. If you land clearly higher on one exam relative to its requirement, take that exam.
- Tie-breaker: the speaking question. Live examiner or microphone; pick the one that stressed you less.
- Commit and stop comparing. From this point, switching costs you weeks of format-specific preparation.
Whichever you choose, the plan looks the same
The exams differ; good preparation does not. Both reward an honest study plan built around your test date, feedback on writing and speaking rather than blind repetition, and enough timed practice that the format becomes boring. Verbola supports both paths with exam-specific plans, practice and AI feedback; see the IELTS and TOEFL overviews to compare what your daily preparation would look like in each.