IELTS vs. TOEFL: Which is easier? Which should you take?

Both IELTS and TOEFL iBT are accepted by over 10,000 organisations around the world (including universities offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes). It is only natural that students wonder which one to opt for in their application to universities abroad. We’ll lay down the facts so that you can make an informed decision.

What is IELTS?

IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. IELTS was established in 1980 and is jointly owned by IDP IELTS Australia, British Council, and Cambridge Assessment English. It is a globally recognised English proficiency test, accepted by several institutions worldwide, and widely used for university admissions, professional licensing, and immigration, especially in countries like the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

What is TOEFL?

TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language and was established in 1964. It is designed and administered by the Educational Testing Services (ETS) in the US. Both tests evaluate the English language proficiency of international students or non-native speakers as part of the requirements for their studies abroad.

As similar as they seem, IELTS and TOEFL have their differences, too. Right from pattern and preparation to cost and logistics, the differences are vast.

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IELTS vs TOEFL: Key differences

Here’s a brief overview of both IELTS and TOEFL academic English assessment tests.

Criteria	IELTS	TOEFL
Test administration	IELTS IDP (in India)	ETS, US
Usage	For study, work, or immigration	For study and work
Format	Paper, computer-based, and online	Computer-based
Duration	2 hours, 45 mins	2 hours, 30 mins
Types	Academic and general training	Only academic
Sections	Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening	Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening
Scoring	Trained examiners and automatic scoring	Reading and Listening sections are scored by the computer. Speaking and Writing are scored by AI as well as multiple trained examiners
Results	Paper-based test: 13 days Computer-based: 3-5 days	4-8 days
Breaks	None during the test. But the speaking test can be taken one week before or after the rest of the test.	A 10-minute break between listening and speaking tests
Acceptance	Universally accepted	Mainly targeted at US and Canadian universities
Cost	INR 18,000	INR 16,900
Do candidates interact with examiners?	Yes, for the speaking test	No

IELTS vs TOEFL: Detailed comparison

Test duration

The IELTS and TOEFL exams test a candidate’s listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills. However, the time allotted for each of the different sections of the test varies. The number of questions also varies. Check out the table to understand the difference:

Section	IELTS	TOEFL
Listening	30 min, 40 questions	41 – 57 min, 28 – 39 questions
Reading	60 min, 40 questions	54 – 72 min, 30 – 40 questions
Speaking	11 – 14 min, 3 tasks	17 min, 4 tasks
Writing	60 min, 2 tasks	50 min, 2 tasks

Understand the steps for test preparation through our article on how to prepare for the IELTS.

IELTS vs TOEFL: Test format

The question types used in IELTS and TOEFL are one of the major factors that differentiate between the two.

IELTS uses different question types to assess candidates.

IELTS question types:

Section	Question types
Listening	Multiple choice, complete the sentence, matching, plan, map, or diagram labelling, sentence completion and summary completion.
Reading	Multiple choice, matching information, matching heading to content, matching sentence endings, fill in the blanks, short answers, note, table, or flowchart completion,  and identifying the writer’s views.
Writing	Describe, summarise, or explain
Speaking	Oral interview between the test taker and the examiner.

Understand the IELTS test format in detail through our article.

Details of the test format:

Section	IELTS	TOEFL
Listening	4 recordings are provided. Questions are a mix of:   Multiple choice Sentence completion Matching Plan, map, or diagram labelling Summary completion	Recordings of 2 conversations are provided.   Only multiple-choice questions
Reading	3 long passages (sections) are provided. Questions include:   Multiple choice Matching information Matching heading to content Matching sentence endings Fill in the blanks/tables Writing short answers Completing notes or flow-charts Completing sentences Suggesting titles  Identifying writer’s views	2 passages of 700 words (approx.) are provided.   Only multiple-choice questions
Speaking	This is a face-to-face interview conducted by an examiner.   3 tasks are provided, which typically involve an introductory small talk, responding to a visual prompt, and having a detailed discussion on a relevant topic.	This is done on the computer through a microphone.   4 tasks are provided that include responding to conversations and descriptions
Writing	2 writing tasks with topics sourced from books, magazines, notices, company handbooks, and guidelines are provided.   Questions include: Describing or explaining a chart, table, image, diagram, or graph in about 150 words and summarising the same Writing an argumentative essay of about 250 words	2 tasks are provided, including a passage and a recorded lecture on a given topic.   The questions involve:   Summarising the passage and lecture Writing an essay with your opinion and point of view.

IELTS and TOEFL: Section-wise comparison (reading, writing, listening, speaking)

Reading

IELTS	TOEFL
Has three sections, comprising 40 questions in total. You’ll need to answer questions based on three reading passages, with each question carrying one mark.	Involves reading 3 or 4 passages from academic texts and answering 30-40 questions.

Writing

IELTS	TOEFL
Consists of two writing tasks – One requires you to describe a diagram/infographic in 20 minutes, and the other requires you to respond to an argument/view in 40 minutes. Both of these should follow a formal style of writing.	It consists of 2 tasks: You will be asked to read a passage, listen to a recording, and then type your response. You should write an essay based on your experience or opinion.

Listening

IELTS	TOEFL
Consists of 4 sections of conversations with 10 questions in each section. The conversation recordings are played only once, based on which you must answer the questions. Each question carries one mark.	Involves listening to conversations, lectures, and discussions, and then answering 28–39 questions based on them.

Speaking

IELTS	TOEFL
Assesses your spoken English in three parts: In the first, you will have to answer questions about yourself, your family, your interests, and other familiar topics. In the second part, you’ll be given a topic and a minute to prepare for it before you speak about it for 2 minutes. The third part involves questions/discussions on what you spoke about in part 2.	4 tasks are part of the Speaking test. Task 1 involves Independent Speaking, where you’ll have to speak and share your views on a familiar topic. Tasks 2-4 involve Integrated Speaking, where you will have to do a combination of Listening and Speaking or Reading and Speaking.

The total duration of the IELTS test is two hours and 45 minutes. While the reading, writing and listening tests take place on the same day, you can choose to take your speaking test 7 days prior to or post the rest of the test date.

IELTS vs TOEFL: Grading and score comparison

ETS, the organisation that administers TOEFL, provides the following IELTS vs TOEFL score comparison table.

IELTS Score	TOEFL Score
9	118
8.5	115
8	110
7.5	102
7	94
6.5	79
6	60
5.5	46
5	35
4.5	32
0-4	0-31

IELTS Grading:

IELTS grades you on a nine-band scale to categorise your level of proficiency – from band score 1 (non-user) through to band score 9 (expert).

IELTS score	English language skill level
9	Expert
8	Very good
7	Good
6	Competent
5	Modest
4	Limited
3	Extremely limited
2	Intermittent
1	Non-user

Read details of what your IELTS band score means.

TOEFL Grading

Unlike the IELTS, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) assesses your reading, writing, listening, and speaking abilities in a combined test format. Each section in the TOEFL has a score range of 0 – 30.

Section	TOEFL score	English language skill level
Listening	22 – 30	Advanced
	17 – 21	High-intermediate
	9 – 16	Low-intermediate
	0 – 8	Below low-intermediate
Reading	24 – 30	Advanced
	18 – 23	High-Intermediate
	4 – 17	Low-Intermediate
	0 – 3	Below Low-Intermediate
Speaking	25 – 30	Advanced
	20 – 24	High-intermediate
	16 – 19	Low-intermediate
	10 – 15	Basic
	0 – 9	Below Basic
Writing	24 – 30	Advanced
	17 – 23	High-intermediate
	13 – 16	Low-intermediate
	7 – 12	Basic
	0 – 6	Below Basic

A score is given for each test. The average of these individual scores is taken and rounded to the nearest half-band to get the overall band score. For example, if the average of the listening, reading, writing and speaking sections is 5.75, the overall band score will be rounded to 6.0.

Test availability

Both IELTS and TOEFL exams are conducted across major Indian cities in various test centres. Check the official pages to book your nearest test centre.

IELTS	TOEFL
75+ test centres in Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, etc.	40+ test centres in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Chandigarh, etc.

IELTS vs TOEFL cost comparison

The fee for each exam varies based on the exam type. Here’s a quick comparison of fees in India.

IELTS	TOEFL
INR 18,250 (IELTS UKVI) INR 18,000 (IELTS computer and paper-based) INR 17,000 (IELTS life skills)	INR 16,900 (TOEFL iBT) INR 9,996 (TOEFL Essential test)

IELTS vs TOEFL: Global acceptance

IELTS and TOEFL are both well-known English language proficiency tests, which are accepted all over the world.

IELTS	TOEFL
Accepted in: Over 12,000 institutions Over 140 countries	Accepted in: Over 12,000 institutions Over 160 countries

Here are a few of the top universities across the world that accept IELTS scores:

• Stanford University 
• Princeton University 
• Yale University
• University of Oxford
• University of Cambridge
• Imperial College London
• Australian National University
• University of Melbourne
• University of Sydney
• University of Toronto
• University of British Columbia
• McGill University

IELTS vs TOEFL: Which should you choose?

First and foremost, check your university’s English proficiency requirements - whether it is IELTS or TOEFL, and then decide.

If you're comfortable with computers and multiple-choice questions, TOEFL feels easier.  It’s ideal for students who prefer a digital testing environment. However, it takes longer (about 3 hours), is academically oriented, and includes a computer-recorded Speaking section, which may be challenging.

On the other hand, if you prefer a mix of question types and face-to-face interaction, IELTS could be a better fit. IELTS offers both paper-based and computer-based formats and includes a face-to-face Speaking test with an examiner. 

TOEFL is more aligned with American English, so select TOEFL if you are planning to study in the US or Canada, as it is suited for academic purposes.

IELTS is suited for British English, and is recognised worldwide and universally accepted. IELTS not only handles academic applications but also training and immigration. Select IELTS if you are planning to study in countries like Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Germany, France, Ireland, etc.

FAQs on IELTS or TOEFL: Key questions to help you choose between the two

Next, we’ve collated a set of key questions that differentiate IELTS and TOEFL. Understand the answers to these, and you’ll know if you should prepare for IELTS or TOEFL. Also, you can find student perspectives on test preparation and other aspects of studying abroad in our collection of international Student Stories.

Which is easier, IELTS or TOEFL?

Both the IELTS and the TOEFL test the English proficiency of the individual. The difficulty level of these exams is subjective; however, many students consider IELTS easier than TOEFL, especially the reading sections. In IELTS, the reading question samples are from magazines, books, journals and newspapers. The TOEFL reading passages are from academic textbooks and academic publications. Some test takers might find these challenging as these may include technical vocabulary and complex sentence structures.

Which is better, IELTS or TOEFL?

Universities, governments and organisations widely accept both IELTS and TOEFL as proof of English proficiency. IELTS questions majorly focus on the practical communication skills of the individual, while TOEFL tests are more academic. IELTS also offers the option to choose between academic and general training tests based on the individual's needs. IELTS has a face-to-face speaking section, while TOEFL is purely computer-based. While most institutions accept both the test scores, some might have preferences. It is best to check with the institution before deciding which test to take.

IELTS or TOEFL: Which is preferred by your university?

This should be the first and foremost question you should be asking yourself. Check the websites of your dream universities and their programme requirements. If the university of your choice accepts only one of the two, then you can rule out the other one right away.

Which test will best highlight your strengths?

Remember, your goal is to score high, so choose the test that has the scope to do that. Know what your strengths and weaknesses are and analyse which test would involve using your strengths more. While the IELTS pattern is quite straightforward and independently graded, TOEFL has some variations which could cost you a few marks here and there and pull down your total.

For example, the reading and listening sections of the TOEFL include extra questions that do not count towards your total score. So, make sure you choose what plays to your strength.

Which of the two tests is easier for you to take?

Previously, only the TOEFL offered the option to take the internet-based test. IDP IELTS, you can now take up the Computer Delivered IELTS (CD IELTS) - which is available at several IDP IELTS centres including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Chandigarh, Kochi, Jaipur and Gurgaon.  

With IDP IELTS, you also have better chances of booking a suitable slot for the test (up to 4 tests in a month and over 50 in a year).

Which test requires more preparation?

Both IELTS and TOEFL require basic preparation at the very least. The difference in the test patterns may give rise to tasks that need more preparation. For example, unlike IELTS, TOEFL’s questions are mostly multiple-choice questions. Also, IELTS is comparatively shorter.

The reading section in IELTS is considered much easier than that of TOEFL. The TOEFL essay is longer, 300 words, than the 250-word essay in IELTS. In short, you’ll need to prepare harder for the TOEFL, as far as the reading section is concerned.

Which test is more expensive?

When it comes to fee expenses, the cost of IELTS and TOEFL differ only by around INR 1,00. The registration fee for IELTS is INR 18,000, while TOEFL costs approximately INR 16,900.

Which test gives faster results?

You'll receive your computer-delivered IELTS results within 3–5 days, whereas TOEFL results may take up to 6 days.

Can one take both IELTS and TOEFL?

Yes, you can. You can take both tests depending on your university’s requirements to increase your chances of acceptance.

What is the validity of IELTS and TOEFL test scores?

The test scores of IELTS and TOEFL are valid for 2 years from the date of your exam. You must retake these exams in case you wish to apply after the validity period. 

If you've chosen IELTS for your higher studies abroad, why not try our IELTS mock test?

Editor's note: This article was originally published in April 2019. Our Content Writer Aparna Sridar has included up-to-date information and made it comprehensive.

Note: IDP Hotcourses - India is part of IDP, which is an IELTS partner.