Both TOEFL and PTE Academic are fully computer-based English proficiency tests, which makes them more similar to each other in format than either is to IELTS. The real differences come down to turnaround time, scoring approach, and where each test carries more weight. If your target program accepts both, PTE's faster results and algorithmic scoring are its main draws; TOEFL's broader global recognition, especially for graduate admissions, is its main advantage.
Take the free TOEFL Benchmark Test and get your estimated band score in about 45 minutes.
Both are entirely computer-delivered with no live human examiner. TOEFL's 2026 format uses adaptive Reading and Listening sections, task-specific Writing (Build a Sentence, Write an Email, Write for an Academic Discussion), and a compact Speaking section built around Listen and Repeat and Take an Interview. PTE integrates skills more within individual item types — a single PTE item can assess both listening and speaking, or reading and writing, together, which is a structurally different approach from TOEFL's more separated four-section design.
This is one of PTE's clearest advantages — results are frequently available within 48 hours, noticeably faster than TOEFL's typical 4-to-8-day window. If you're working against a tight application deadline, PTE's turnaround alone can be a deciding factor.
PTE is known for heavily algorithmic scoring, which some test-takers find more predictable and consistent than a mixed AI-and-human evaluation approach. TOEFL's scoring, particularly for Speaking and Writing, combines automated scoring with review processes designed to catch nuance that pure algorithmic scoring can miss — a tradeoff between predictability and nuanced judgment, not a clear advantage either way.
Take the free TOEFL Benchmark Test and get your estimated band score in about 45 minutes.
PTE has gained particularly wide acceptance in Australia and the UK, alongside growing recognition at US institutions. TOEFL remains the more universally recognized option overall, particularly for graduate admissions and at institutions outside markets where PTE has made the most inroads. Always check your specific target program's accepted test list directly — general regional trends don't guarantee any individual program's requirement.
If your target programs explicitly list both as accepted, the decision comes down to your priorities: choose PTE if turnaround speed matters most and you're comfortable with an integrated-skills format; choose TOEFL if you want the broadest possible acceptance, particularly for graduate programs, or if you specifically prefer separated, task-based sections. Our score converter covers TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, and Duolingo side by side if you want to compare estimated equivalent scores before deciding.
See TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, and Duolingo scores side by side.