Get to know the difference between IELTS and TOEFL exams. Find out which is more accepted and which is easier with the help of detailed TOEFL vs IELTS comparison given here.
Table of Contents
When you plan to move out of India, you probably tend to confuse yourself with which English language test to take. So, the biggest question asked tends to be, ‘what is the difference between TOEFL vs IELTS; which is more accepted?’ But, frankly, it’s a semi-correct question to ask.
The answer lies within your intentions. Long story short, if you’re planning to do your schooling, then TOEFL would be a great choice, otherwise, IELTS is your best bet.
Even so, you could get away with doing the other test after comparing them with some general filters to see which one fares better for you in your own opinion. But never mind all of that! Let’s first get into the intricate differences between them before you make your call.
IELTS
International English Language Testing System erstwhile IELTS is an English language proficiency test attended by candidates willing to pursue education or jobs abroad. More than 140 colleges widely accept the scores. IELTS has two variants, IELTS General Training (for working professional/ immigration purposes) and IELTS Academic (for education purposes).
Read More: IELTS
TOEFL
TOEFL is an acronym used for the Test of English Language. Most of the colleges and universities abroad accept TOEFL scores. Therefore performing well in the exam is vital for admissions. In addition, the basic knowledge of English is tested.
Read More: TOEFL
Difference Between IELTS and TOEFL
It’s an age-old question for which the answers provided have been quite complicated. To simplify, the difference between IELTS and TOEFL lies in their structure and influence.
Talking in a general sense:
- The structure consists of the format, length, and score system of the test, the cost involved to do it, and the differences in time management.
- Influence consists of what accents are involved, where the test is offered, how frequently the test occurs, and where they are accepted.
GetMyUni has provided the details in a tabular format before getting into the specifics, merely to give you an eagle’s eye view of the comparison.
| Comparison | IELTS | TOEFL |
| Test Format | Paper | Computer |
| Speaking Format | Face-to-face with examiner | Computer (Microphone) |
| Cost | $200 - $250 (INR 14560 - INR 18200) | $160 - $200 (INR 10920 - INR 14560) |
| Length | 2 hrs 45 mins | 4 hrs |
| Scoring | Scale: 0 - 9; Avg Min Score: 6.3 - 6.5 | Scale: 0 - 120; Avg Min Score: 78 - 82.2 |
| Sections | Listening: 60 mins Reading: 60 mins Writing: 60 mins Speaking: 10-15 mins |
Listening: 90 mins Reading: 90 mins Writing: 50 mins Speaking: 20 mins |
| Breaks | No breaks; speaking section doable after a week gap | 10-minute breaks between sessions |
| Offered By | 140 countries worldwide; more than 1,100 locations | Worldwide; exact details unknown |
| Accepted By | More than 9,000 global organizations | More than 10,000 global organizations |
| Result Release Time | 13 days after the test | 10 days after the test |
Since the tabular data is self–explanatory, the subsequent sections will largely talk about the differences not covered here, and see how the scores are compared as well.
TOEFL vs IELTS: Section Wise Comparison
Now we will compare both of these exams section-by-section. We will compare them with respect to the Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking Sections.
TOEFL vs IELTS: Listening Section
We have mentioned the differences in the below table.
| Particulars | TOEFL | IELTS |
| Time Duration | 41 to 57 Minutes | 40 minutes( including 10 minutes to transfer the answers to the response sheet) |
| Questions | 39 total question | Total 40 questions |
| Topics |
|
4 recordings |
TOEFL vs IELTS: Reading Section
Now we will compare the reading section of the TOEFL and IELTS.
| Particulars | TOEFL | IELTS |
| Time Duration | 54 to 72 Minutes | 1 hour |
| Questions | 30 to 40 total question | Total 40 questions |
| Topics | 4 passages | 3 long essays |
TOEFL vs IELTS: Writing Section
In the below table, we will now see all the major differences in the Writing Section.
| Particulars | TOEFL | IELTS |
| Time Duration | 50 Minutes | 60 minutes |
| Topics |
|
|
TOEFL vs IELTS: Speaking Section
Last but not the least, what are the differences in Speaking Section? We will discuss them below.
| Particulars | TOEFL | IELTS |
| Time Duration | 17 Minutes | 11 to 14 minutes |
| Topics |
|
There will be 3 parts and the parts will get more difficult with each passing part. |
IELTS vs TOEFL - Which is Easier?
Many folks tend to ask, ‘is TOEFL easier than IELTS’, and the answer to that question depends on the level at which you see the tests. Are you looking at the scores? Are you looking at the subject matters they cover? Is it the length of the test that you’re worried about? Specifying which section you want to know the difficulty can help wonders.
With respect to length, IELTS seems easier since a lot of time isn’t spent on Listening, Reading, or Writing. The sections provided are usually compact compared to TOEFL. Since there’s more content to cover on TOEFL, it also means you need more time and more reliable sources with which you can prepare for the test better.
However, TOEFL is a more affordable choice, and it’s done online. Not only that, but its difficulty is in parallel to the score value, which makes TOEFL more reliable than IELTS (even though it contains some sub-sections that don’t count towards your total score).
TOEFL also covers a wide girth of English accents — including American, British, Canadian, and Australian — so you can get familiar with them if need be. Even though IELTS does cover those accents, it doesn’t go quite in-depth as TOEFL does.
And finally, TOEFL is accepted more often than IELTS. You can see how TOEFL fares in terms of the number of global organizations that accept it compared to IELTS. To put it simply, if you’re up for the challenge, then passing TOEFL will pay you dividends in your academics. Remember, you’re not writing these tests because one’s better than the other; play to your strengths.
IELTS vs TOEFL - Which One to Choose?
Now we will talk about some major factors that you need to consider while choosing between these two exams.
- The first major criterion is to know which exam is acceptable in the university you are going to apply for.
- Preparation of IELTS can be done faster than that of TOEFL. So, if there is less time to give the exam, IELTS is probably better.
- TOEFL is only computer-based whereas IELTS can be given either in pen and paper or online.
- IELTS allows you to give section-wise exam within a week whereas TOEFL should be completed in one single sitting.
IELTS to TOEFL IBT Conversion
Of course, this article won’t go without comparing the scores between these two exams! The IELTS to TOEFL conversion process isn’t that convoluted initially, but it’s understandable why most people would feel awkward about how it works.
This section will contain two different types of comparisons. The first one will be a section-based score comparison between TOEFL and IELTS, while the second one
You’ll find the tabulated data that contains the score comparison between TOEFL iBT and IELTS for each section they cover. Please note that the numbers in bold are produced by over 1,000 candidates who wrote both the TOEFL and the IELTS test modules. The bold numbers represent the highest degree of confidence in the score comparison ranges.
If you’d like a reliable IELTS to TOEFL calculator, then you may head to the ETS Score Comparison tool and enter your scores. This will convert the TOEFL score to the IELTS band score for you.
| Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking | ||||
| TOEFL IBT | IELTS | TOEFL IBT | IELTS | TOEFL IBT | IELTS | TOEFL IBT | IELTS |
| 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–11 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–11 | 0–4 |
| 3 | 4.5 | 12–13 | 4.5 | 3 | 4.5 | 12–13 | 4.5 |
| 4–7 | 5 | 14–17 | 5 | 4–6 | 5 | 14–15 | 5 |
| 8–12 | 5.5 | 18–20 | 5.5 | 7–11 | 5.5 | 16–17 | 5.5 |
| 13–18 | 6 | 21–23 | 6 | 12–19 | 6 | 18–19 | 6 |
| 19–23 | 6.5 | 24–26 | 6.5 | 20–23 | 6.5 | 20–22 | 6.5 |
| 24–26 | 7 | 27–28 | 7 | 24–26 | 7 | 23 | 7 |
| 27–28 | 7.5 | 29 | 7.5 | 27 | 7.5 | 24–25 | 7.5 |
| 29 | 8 | 30 | 8 | 28 | 8 | 26–27 | 8 |
| 29 | 8.5 | 30 | 8.5 | 29 | 8.5 | 28–29 | 8.5 |
| 30 | 9 | 30 | 9 | 30 | 9 | 30 | 9 |
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