TOEFL vs IELTS: Which English Exam Should You Take in 2026?

If you’re choosing an English exam for university, immigration, or work, two names dominate every search result: TOEFL and IELTS. For years the advice was simple — IELTS for the UK and Australia, TOEFL for the US. That’s no longer the full picture, and it got more complicated (and more interesting) in January 2026, when ETS rolled out the biggest redesign of the TOEFL iBT in over a decade.

Here’s what actually changed, how the two exams compare today, and a straightforward way to decide which one is right for you.

The short answer

Both exams are accepted almost everywhere now — most universities, employers, and visa programs that take one will take the other. So the real question isn’t “which is more respected,” it’s “which format suits how you work.” TOEFL is faster, fully computer-based, and now adapts to your level in real time. IELTS is a little longer, includes a face-to-face speaking test with a real examiner, and keeps its classic four-section structure. If you’d rather talk to a person than a microphone, that single fact might decide it for you.

What changed: the new TOEFL iBT (2026)

On January 21, 2026, ETS introduced a redesigned TOEFL iBT. If you took (or prepared for) the old version, treat this as a different exam, not an update.

It’s shorter and adaptive

Total test time dropped to roughly 90 minutes, down from around three hours. The Reading and Listening sections now use a multistage adaptive design — the test adjusts in real time based on how you’re doing, similar to how the Duolingo English Test already works.

There’s a new scoring scale

TOEFL now reports a simplified 1–6 band score alongside the traditional 0–120 scale, which puts it closer to how IELTS and the CEFR levels (A1–C2) are read by admissions offices.

Writing looks completely different

The old Integrated and Independent essays are gone. In their place are three shorter tasks: Build a Sentence, Write an Email, and Write for an Academic Discussion. Total writing time is now about 23 minutes instead of 50, and the Email task — brand new to TOEFL — asks you to make a request, propose a solution, or respond to a scenario in about 80–120 words. It rewards clear, practical writing over polished five-paragraph essays.

How IELTS compares

IELTS Academic hasn’t changed its structure: Listening (30 minutes), Reading (60 minutes), Writing (60 minutes, two tasks), and Speaking (11–14 minutes, face to face or over video with a trained examiner). Total time is about 2 hours 45 minutes. Scoring runs on the familiar 0–9 band scale, in half-point steps.

The big practical difference is still Speaking: IELTS is a conversation with a human, TOEFL is you talking into a microphone while a combination of AI and trained raters score the recording. Some learners perform better with the pressure of a live person; others find it far more nerve-wracking than speaking to a screen.