IELTS vs TOEFL iBT
Compare IELTS and TOEFL iBT: the 0-9 band scale vs a 0-120 total, a live speaking interview vs a recorded one, acceptance facts and the official concordance.
Both are trusted, widely accepted academic English tests; neither is officially easier. IELTS scores on a 0-9 band scale and assesses Speaking through a live interview with a human examiner, while TOEFL iBT scores 0-120 and records your Speaking for AI-and-human marking. Choose by your route's accepted tests and your format preference.
IELTS and TOEFL iBT are the two most widely recognised academic English tests, and most universities that accept one accept the other. They measure the same four skills but differ in ways that matter on the day: how they score, how they test Speaking, and — crucially for visa and immigration routes — where each is accepted. This page compares the fixed, structural differences and defers to the official source wherever acceptance varies.
At a glance
Every cell is a fixed, structural fact about each test — not a fee or a date. Where a route's acceptance varies, confirm it with the institution or immigration authority.
| Dimension | IELTS (Academic) | TOEFL iBT |
|---|---|---|
| Score scale | 0-9 band scale in half-band steps; a band per skill plus an overall band | 0-120 total; four sections scored 0-30 each and added together |
| Speaking format | Live one-to-one interview with a trained human examiner — in person, or by video call with a remote examiner at some centres | Recorded — you speak into a microphone, scored later by automated scoring plus certified human raters |
| Marking | Writing and Speaking marked by trained human examiners; Listening and Reading marked against an answer key | All four sections scored by a combination of automated scoring and human raters |
| Delivery | Computer-delivered or paper-based at a test centre; Speaking is always with a live examiner | Internet-based at a test centre, or at home via the Home Edition where eligible and accepted |
| Test length | About 2 hours 45 minutes for Listening, Reading and Writing; Speaking (11-14 min) may be a separate slot | Under 2 hours, with all four sections in one sitting |
| Results turnaround | Roughly 1-5 days for computer-delivered; around 13 days for paper-based | Usually released within about a week of the test |
| Skills and variants | Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking; Academic or General Training variant | Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing; academic content only, no General variant |
| Acceptance breadth | Accepted very broadly worldwide; the established default across the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, and for many visa and immigration routes (including UK SELT and Canadian immigration) | Accepted very broadly worldwide, especially by US universities; acceptance for visa and immigration routes is narrower (for example, not a UK SELT and not accepted for Canadian economic immigration) |
| Retakes | Full retake any time; single-module One Skill Retake where offered (not in every country) | Full retake; MyBest Scores can combine your highest section scores across sittings at institutions that accept them |
IELTS also offers a General Training variant for some work and migration routes; Listening and Speaking are identical across both variants. Test length and results timing are typical figures, not guarantees — confirm current details with the test provider.
Which should you choose?
Choose IELTS if…
- Your route needs a test IELTS covers but TOEFL may not — a UK visa SELT, Canadian economic immigration, or another immigration pathway (confirm the accepted list first).
- You would rather hold a real-time conversation with a human examiner than record answers into a microphone.
- You are applying in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or Canada, where IELTS is the established default.
- You want the option of a paper-based sitting, or a General Training variant for work and migration routes.
Choose TOEFL iBT if…
- Your target is US university admission and the programme lists TOEFL, or you prefer its US-oriented academic content.
- You are comfortable speaking into a microphone and prefer a single, fully on-screen sitting.
- You want a shorter test — under two hours — with the option to take it at home where you are eligible and it is accepted.
- You may reuse your best section scores across sittings (MyBest Scores) at institutions that accept them.
How the two tests are scored
IELTS reports a 0-9 band scale in half-band steps. You receive a band for each of the four skills — Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking — and an overall band that is their average, rounded to the nearest half-band. TOEFL iBT instead scores each of its four sections from 0 to 30 and adds them for a total out of 120.
Because the scales are built differently, a band and a total are not interchangeable. To compare a target across the two tests, use the official concordance below, which maps IELTS overall bands to TOEFL total ranges — a guide rather than a promise, since each institution decides how it reads a score.
Speaking: a live conversation or a recording
The clearest difference on the day is Speaking. IELTS Speaking is a live, one-to-one interview with a trained human examiner: a real-time conversation of roughly 11 to 14 minutes, held in person or, at some centres, by video call with a remote examiner. You respond to a person and can read their cues.
TOEFL iBT Speaking is recorded. You speak your answers into a microphone within fixed time limits, and the recordings are marked later by a combination of automated scoring and certified human raters, with no interviewer in the room. Neither approach is easier — they reward different comfort zones — so it is worth trying both formats in practice before you commit.
Where each test is accepted
Both tests are accepted by thousands of universities worldwide, and for academic admission the choice often comes down to preference and the programme's stated list. TOEFL has historically been the default at US institutions, while IELTS is the established choice across the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada — though the overlap is large, and most schools that take one take the other.
Acceptance diverges most for visa and immigration routes. IELTS, as IELTS for UKVI, is an approved UK Secure English Language Test; TOEFL is not currently on the UK's SELT list. For Canadian economic immigration, IRCC accepts IELTS General Training but not TOEFL. At-home versions of any test, and newer tests such as the Duolingo English Test, are accepted in some places and not others. Because these lists change and vary by route, confirm the accepted tests with the institution or immigration authority before you book.
IELTS band to TOEFL iBT score concordance
The official ETS-published concordance between IELTS overall bands and TOEFL iBT total scores. Ranges are approximate; individual institutions set their own equivalences, so treat this as a guide and check the requirement you actually need to meet.
| IELTS band | TOEFL iBT total |
|---|---|
| 9.0 | 118-120 |
| 8.5 | 115-117 |
| 8.0 | 110-114 |
| 7.5 | 102-109 |
| 7.0 | 94-101 |
| 6.5 | 79-93 |
| 6.0 | 60-78 |
| 5.5 | 46-59 |
| 5.0 | 35-45 |
The concordance maps overall scores only — it does not translate individual section or module scores, and it is not a guarantee of how any one university will read your result. Use our score converter for a quick estimate, then confirm the exact requirement with the institution or authority.
Common questions
Is TOEFL easier than IELTS?
Neither test is officially easier — both measure the same four skills against comparable standards. What differs is format: IELTS assesses Speaking through a live interview with a human examiner and scores on a 0-9 band scale, while TOEFL iBT records your Speaking for later marking and scores out of 120. The one that suits you depends on whether you are more comfortable in a conversation or speaking to a microphone. Use the concordance to compare a target score across the two.
Is TOEFL accepted for UK visas?
TOEFL iBT is not currently on the UK Home Office list of approved Secure English Language Tests (SELTs), so it cannot be used for UK visa routes that require a SELT — IELTS for UKVI can. Many UK universities do accept TOEFL for admission when they assess English themselves as your visa sponsor. Because the SELT list and university policies differ, confirm with UKVI and your institution before booking.
Does Canadian immigration accept TOEFL?
For economic immigration, IRCC accepts IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General and PTE Core — not TOEFL. TOEFL is, however, widely accepted by Canadian universities and colleges for admission. So a TOEFL result may open study but not a permanent-residence route. Always confirm the accepted tests for your specific programme on the official IRCC pages.
Is the Duolingo English Test accepted the same as IELTS or TOEFL?
Not everywhere. The Duolingo English Test is accepted by many universities for admission, but it is not accepted for many visa and immigration routes — it is not a UK SELT and is not accepted for Canadian economic immigration, for example. Do not assume it is interchangeable with IELTS or TOEFL; check the exact tests your institution or authority accepts.
Can I convert my IELTS band to a TOEFL score?
You can estimate it using the official ETS-published concordance, which maps IELTS overall bands to TOEFL iBT total ranges (see the table above). It is a guide, not a guarantee: it converts overall scores only, not section or module scores, and each institution decides how it reads a result. Use our score converter for a quick estimate, then confirm the requirement you actually need to meet.
Which is better for US university admission — IELTS or TOEFL?
Both are accepted very widely by US universities, including every Ivy League school, and most institutions that take one take the other. TOEFL has historically been the default in the US, but thousands of US institutions accept IELTS. Choose based on the programme's stated list and which format suits you — a live speaking interview or a recorded one.
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