PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based Test) are both leading English proficiency tests, but they target different markets and have very different formats. Picking the right one for your specific goal avoids the cost of a test that your target institution or immigration authority does not even accept.
At a Glance
| Feature | PTE Academic | TOEFL iBT |
|---|---|---|
| Owned by | Pearson | ETS |
| Score scale | 10–90 | 0–120 (30 per section) |
| Duration | ~2h 15min | ~2h |
| Speaking scoring | AI only | AI + human rater |
| Writing scoring | AI only | AI + human rater |
| Universities accepted | 3,000+ | 11,000+ |
| Accepted in Australia | Yes (immigration) | No (immigration) |
| Accepted in UK | Yes | Limited |
| Accepted in USA | ~300 universities | Most universities |
| Results turnaround | Usually 48h | 4–8 business days |
Speaking: The Key Difference
TOEFL Speaking is partially scored by human raters (in addition to AI), which means human judgment influences your score. PTE Speaking is scored entirely by AI. For test-takers who are nervous in front of examiners or who feel that human raters may be influenced by their accent, PTE's fully automated approach can be advantageous.
Writing: Integrated vs Summary Tasks
TOEFL has an Integrated Writing task (read a passage + listen to a lecture, then write a response synthesising both) and an Academic Discussion task. PTE has Summarize Written Text (one sentence) and Write Essay (standalone essay). Test-takers who struggle with multi-source synthesis may find PTE Writing more manageable.
Which Test for Which Country
- Australia immigration: Use PTE Academic or IELTS — TOEFL is not accepted
- UK immigration and universities: Use PTE Academic or IELTS — TOEFL has limited acceptance
- USA universities: Use TOEFL iBT — PTE is accepted by ~300 institutions
- Canada immigration: Use PTE Core or IELTS — TOEFL is not accepted for Express Entry
- New Zealand: Use PTE Academic or IELTS
Score First, Decide Later
Before committing to either exam, estimate your current level. Our free AI PTE Score Predictor and our free CEFR Assessment give you a baseline in under 30 minutes. Knowing whether you are currently at B1 or B2 shapes which test you target and how much preparation you need.
See also: PTE vs IELTS, What Is PTE Academic, and PTE Score Requirements by Country.