First: check what they will accept
Before anything else, look at the requirement from the university, employer or immigration route you are applying to. It may accept only one of the two, or set a minimum in each skill rather than just an overall — and that changes the entire calculation.
"Overall 7.0 with no band below 6.5" is a completely different target from "overall 7.0", and it means the test where your weakest skill does best is the right one.
What TOEFL changed in 2026 (most guides have not caught up)
If you have read that TOEFL speaking is six long tasks scored out of 30, that description is of an older test. As published by ETS:
| Section | Items | Time | Tasks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 50 | ~30 min | — |
| Listening | 47 | ~29 min | — |
| Speaking | 11 | ~8 min | Listen and Repeat, Take an Interview |
| Writing | 12 | ~23 min | Build a Sentence, Write an Email, Write for an Academic Discussion |
Scoring is now 1 to 6 per section, with the overall being the average of the four rounded to the nearest half band. For a two-year transition after January 2026, a comparable 0–120 score is also reported — which matters if an institution still publishes a requirement like "TOEFL 90".
The differences that actually matter
| IELTS | TOEFL | |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking is… | A conversation with a human examiner, ~11–14 minutes, three parts. | Recorded, into a computer. Around 8 minutes, many short items. |
| Writing is… | Two long pieces: a report/letter and a 250-word essay. | Several shorter pieces, including an email and a discussion post. |
| Scale | Bands 0–9, in half bands. | 1–6 per section (plus a 0–120 comparable score during the transition). |
| Overall | Mean of four skills, rounded to nearest half band. | Mean of four sections, rounded to nearest half band. |
| Flavour | Everyday + academic. Speaking is personal and opinion-based. | Academic and campus-focused throughout. |
Which test suits which weakness
This is the part a feature table cannot tell you. The two tests fail different people.
| If this is your weakness… | Then… |
|---|---|
| You freeze in front of people | TOEFL. You speak to a computer. No examiner is watching you, and nobody reacts to your answer. |
| You go blank when recorded, and do better with a person | IELTS. A real conversation gives you turn-taking, follow-up questions and a human rhythm to hold onto. |
| Your speaking is short and you run out of things to say | TOEFL. The items are short. IELTS Part 2 asks you to talk alone for two minutes, which is a genuinely different skill. |
| Long essays are hard for you | TOEFL. No 250-word essay; the writing is shorter and more practical. |
| Academic and campus topics are unfamiliar to you | IELTS. The content is more everyday, and the speaking is about your own life. |
| Your reading is slow | Either — but check the timing. Both are tight, and reading is where candidates most often run out of time in both tests. |
Two things people say that are not true
"TOEFL speaking is easier because there is no examiner." For some people, yes. But recording yourself with nobody reacting is genuinely hard for others — many candidates find a silent microphone more intimidating than a person who nods. It depends entirely on you, which is why this page is organised around your weakness rather than a verdict.
"IELTS marks you down for your accent." No. The pronunciation descriptors measure whether you are easy to understand, and at the top of the scale they explicitly expect an accent to be present with minimal effect on intelligibility. The same is true of automated scoring — ours has a floor precisely so accent does not lower the number.
How to decide in an afternoon
- Check the requirement. Which tests are accepted, what score, and is there a per-skill minimum?
- Do one speaking task from each. Record a two-minute IELTS Part 2 answer, and a short TOEFL-style spoken item. You will usually know within twenty minutes which format you handle better.
- Do one writing task from each. A 250-word IELTS essay and a TOEFL discussion post are very different jobs.
- Pick the one where your weakest skill scores best. Not the one where your best skill shines — the overall is an average, and the floor is what moves it.
Always confirm the current format, scoring and acceptance on the official IELTS and ETS websites before you book — this page describes them as published in July 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is TOEFL easier than IELTS?
Neither is easier in general — they fail different people. TOEFL suits candidates who are uncomfortable speaking to a live examiner and who do better at short, structured tasks. IELTS suits candidates who speak better to a human than to a microphone and who prefer everyday topics over academic and campus ones. Choose against your weakness.
How has TOEFL changed in 2026?
Substantially, and most comparison guides have not caught up. Speaking is now around 8 minutes across about 11 short items (Listen and Repeat, Take an Interview), and Writing includes an email and an academic discussion post rather than a long essay. Scoring is 1 to 6 per section, with a comparable 0 to 120 score also reported for a two-year transition after January 2026.
Which test should I take if I get nervous speaking to people?
TOEFL, probably — you speak into a computer and no examiner is watching you. But be honest with yourself first: some candidates find a silent microphone with nobody reacting more intimidating than a person who nods. Record one of each format before deciding; you will usually know within twenty minutes.
Does IELTS penalise my accent?
No. The pronunciation descriptors measure whether a listener can understand you easily, and at the top of the scale they explicitly expect an accent to be present with minimal effect on intelligibility. Nothing in them mentions sounding native, British or American.