Updated October 2026
TOEFL vs IELTS in 2026: which test suits you?
The TOEFL iBT changed a great deal in January 2026, so comparisons written before then are out of date. This page sets the new TOEFL beside IELTS Academic, explains the differences that actually affect your score, and gives a short method for choosing.
Start with what is accepted
Before comparing formats, check which tests your universities, employers or visa authorities accept, and which score each one asks for. Many institutions accept both tests; some accept only one, and visa rules can be stricter than university rules. If only one test is accepted, the decision is made.
One current example: the TOEFL iBT Information Bulletin for 2026–27 notes that only TOEFL tests taken before 21 January 2026, and the separate TOEFL iBT Australia test, are currently approved for Australian visa purposes. Rules like this change, so check the authority's own page.
The two tests at a glance
Length
The 2026 TOEFL iBT takes about 90 minutes. IELTS Academic takes 2 hours and 45 minutes: about 30 minutes of Listening, 60 of Reading, 60 of Writing and 11 to 14 minutes of Speaking, which may be on a different day.
How it is taken
TOEFL iBT is taken on a computer, at a test centre or at home. IELTS Academic can be taken at a test centre, on paper or on computer depending on the centre, or online.
Score scale
TOEFL reports a band from 1 to 6 for each section and overall, in half-band steps, aligned to the CEFR. IELTS reports each section and the overall result on its own 9-band scale, also in half-band steps.
Results
TOEFL scores are posted about three days after the test. IELTS results arrive within a few days for computer tests and later for paper tests; the provider tells you the date.
Speaking: a microphone or a person
This is the difference students notice most. In TOEFL you speak to a computer: you repeat sentences in Listen and Repeat and answer recorded interview questions in Take an Interview, with no preparation time, and your answers are recorded and rated afterwards.
In IELTS you have a live conversation with an examiner, in person or by video call, that includes a short talk on a given topic with a minute to prepare. Some people relax with a real listener; others find a microphone easier because nobody reacts to their mistakes.
Writing: three short tasks or two long ones
TOEFL Writing has three short, separately timed tasks: Build a Sentence, Write an Email in 7 minutes and Write for an Academic Discussion in 10 minutes. Everything is typed, and much of the score comes from clear, accurate writing produced quickly.
IELTS Academic Writing has two tasks in 60 minutes: describing a chart, table, diagram or process, and writing an essay. It rewards longer, carefully organised writing. If you type fast and like short tasks, TOEFL may suit you; if you prefer time to plan a full essay, IELTS may.
Reading and Listening
TOEFL Reading and Listening are made of many short tasks, some academic and some from everyday or campus life, and both sections adapt in two stages to how you are doing. Each Listening recording is played once and every question has its own short time limit.
IELTS Academic Reading uses three long passages in 60 minutes, and IELTS Listening has four recorded parts with a range of question formats, such as completing notes and matching. IELTS rewards sustained concentration on long texts; TOEFL rewards quick, accurate decisions on short ones.
Everyday English and accents
TOEFL is designed around university and campus life and now includes everyday texts such as emails and notices. IELTS Academic is also aimed at study and is used internationally, with recordings in a range of English accents. Neither test requires a particular accent from you: what counts is being clear and easy to understand.
How to choose
TOEFL may suit you if
you type well, prefer short tasks with quick decisions, are comfortable speaking to a microphone, and want a shorter test day.
IELTS may suit you if
you write by hand comfortably or prefer longer essays, find it easier to talk to a person, and are happy with a longer test.
Either may suit you if
your institutions accept both and you have no strong preference. Then choose by test dates, how soon you need the results, and which practice tests you have access to.
A one-week way to decide
Reading about formats only goes so far. Try a short official sample of each test, then a full practice test in the format that felt better. Compare how you did with the score your institution asks for in that test, using the institution's own published requirement for each test rather than a conversion table of your own.
For TOEFL, a full-length practice test in the 2026 format gives you an estimated band for each section. A fullmock mock does this; remember that its scores are estimates, and only ETS issues official TOEFL scores.
Common mistakes when choosing
Using pre-2026 comparisons
Articles that describe a two-hour TOEFL with integrated tasks and a 0–120 score describe the old test.
Converting scores yourself
There is no single official conversion between IELTS bands and TOEFL bands that every institution uses. Use each institution's stated requirement for each test.
Switching tests too late
Each test needs its own practice. Switching a few weeks before a deadline usually costs more than it saves.
Questions about TOEFL and IELTS
Is TOEFL easier than IELTS?
Neither is simply easier. TOEFL is shorter and uses short computer tasks; IELTS is longer, with long reading passages, essays and a face-to-face speaking test. The better test is the one whose format suits how you work.
Which test is shorter?
The 2026 TOEFL iBT takes about 90 minutes. IELTS Academic takes 2 hours and 45 minutes, with Speaking sometimes on a different day.
Do American universities accept IELTS?
Many do, and many British and Australian universities accept TOEFL. Policies vary by institution and programme, so check each one.
How do I convert an IELTS score to a TOEFL band?
Use the requirement each institution publishes for each test. If it lists only a 0–120 TOEFL score, the score converter shows the matching TOEFL band.
This is an independent summary written for test takers. ETS publishes the official specification of the test on its own website.