TOEFL · Guides · October 30, 2026 · 8 min read

TOEFL vs IELTS in 2026: which is easier, cheaper and more accepted after the new TOEFL

For a US or Canadian university, choose the test you score higher on: almost every university accepts both, and the new TOEFL iBT is shorter (about two hours with directions against 2 hours 45 minutes for IELTS), cheaper in many countries and made of many short tasks. Choose IELTS if you also need a visa or migration test: TOEFL is not on the UK’s approved list for visas outside degree-level study, IRCC does not accept it for Express Entry, and Australia accepts it only from a test centre with the “TOEFL for Australia” option selected. If you like talking to a person rather than a microphone, IELTS Speaking is a live interview; TOEFL Speaking is recorded.

Everything below was checked on 30 October 2026 on ETS, ielts.org, an official IELTS provider in India and the UK, Canadian and Australian government sites; links are in the sources at the end. For the basic structure of IELTS, see the IELTS-side comparison, IELTS vs TOEFL. This guide is about choosing in 2026, now that the TOEFL has changed.

What changed in TOEFL in 2026, and why it matters for the choice

On 21 January 2026 ETS replaced the TOEFL iBT with a new version. Three changes affect the TOEFL-or-IELTS decision:

1. It is shorter. Reading about 30 minutes, Listening about 29, Writing 23, Speaking 8: roughly 1.5 hours of testing, about two hours with directions, with no scheduled breaks.
2. The tasks are short. No 700-word passages, no integrated essay, no 15-second speaking preparation. Instead: completing half-words, short everyday texts, building sentences from tiles, a 7-minute email, a 10-minute discussion post, repeating sentences and a four-question recorded interview. The details are in New TOEFL format 2026.
3. The scale is 1–6. Each section and the overall score are reported in half bands from 1 to 6, with a comparable 0–120 total shown for two years. Universities are rewriting requirements on the new scale, and a few have not finished (see what is a good TOEFL score).

So old comparisons that say “TOEFL is longer and more academic” describe a test that no longer exists.

TOEFL vs IELTS side by side (October 2026)

Which is easier?

Neither is easier in the sense of a lower bar: each university sets a separate minimum for each test. The real question is which format suits you.

TOEFL tends to suit you if:

• you read and type quickly and do well on many short items;
• you are comfortable speaking into a microphone with no preparation time;
• long writing is your weak point (TOEFL’s longest piece of writing is a discussion post written in 10 minutes);
• you have a good short-term memory for sentences: Listen and Repeat is scored on exact repetition.

IELTS tends to suit you if:

• you prefer a conversation with a real examiner who can rephrase a question;
• you write well at length and can describe a chart;
• you want time per task rather than many fast items;
• you might need the score for a visa as well as for admission.

A practical test: try one timed set of each. Take a TOEFL mock test or a single section, and an IELTS practice test. Most people know within an hour which format they are faster in.

Which is cheaper?

It depends on the country, and the gap can be large.

TOEFL prices are from ETS’s fee list and ETS India; IELTS prices are from IDP India’s fee page and the US test-centre pages on ielts.org, all checked in October 2026. IELTS prices in the US vary by centre, so check yours. Both organisations add charges for rescheduling and extra services; TOEFL’s are in TOEFL exam fee 2026.

In India, TOEFL is about ₹3,300 cheaper. A retake costs the full fee for either test, except IELTS One Skill Retake, which IDP India prices at ₹12,650.

Which is more widely accepted?

For university admission, both are accepted almost everywhere. ETS says the TOEFL is recognised by more than 13,500 institutions in over 160 countries. For visas and immigration, the picture is different, and that is where most people’s choice is made.

United States

There is no government list of tests for study: each university decides. Most accept both TOEFL iBT and IELTS Academic, and many graduate schools now publish minimums on the new 1–6 scale. If you are applying only to US universities, choose by format and price.

United Kingdom

• The UK Home Office’s list of approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) does not include TOEFL or any other ETS test. Approved tests include IELTS for UKVI, PTE Academic UKVI, LanguageCert, Skills for English and Trinity tests.
• For a Student visa at degree level or above, gov.uk says your university can assess your English itself. That is how UK universities such as Imperial, LSE and Edinburgh accept TOEFL iBT, including the Home Edition, for degree courses.
• Below degree level, and for most work and family visas, the Home Office expects a SELT when you have no other proof of English: IELTS for UKVI or another test on the list, not TOEFL.
• Some UK universities were still reviewing the new TOEFL in 2026. Cambridge’s 2026–27 postgraduate conditions guide accepts TOEFL iBT taken on or before 21 January 2026 and says it may refer newer TOEFL results to its Language Centre. Check your course page.

Canada

• Express Entry and other economic immigration: IRCC accepts CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada. TOEFL iBT is not on the list. ETS announced in August 2025 that IRCC had designated ETS for TOEFL Essentials (a different test) for economic immigration, but said IRCC was not yet accepting the scores, and as of October 2026 canada.ca still lists only the five tests above.
• Study permits: the Student Direct Stream, which used to accept TOEFL iBT, ended on 8 November 2024. Canadian universities set their own English requirements, and Toronto, UBC and McGill all publish TOEFL minimums on the 1–6 scale.
• If you will apply for permanent residence later, you will need IELTS General Training, CELPIP or PTE Core at that point anyway.

Australia

• The Department of Home Affairs accepts TOEFL iBT for visas only when taken at a secure test centre, and you must select “Taking TOEFL for Australia” when you register. Results not registered that way may not be accepted.
• The Home Edition is not accepted for Australian visas, and neither is IELTS Online.
• ETS’s 2026–27 Bulletin goes further: only TOEFL iBT tests taken before 21 January 2026 and the TOEFL iBT Australia are currently approved for Australian visa purposes. Read both and register through the Australia pathway.
• For admission alone, ETS says all Australian universities accept TOEFL.

How to decide in five minutes

Preparing for the new TOEFL

If TOEFL fits, the fastest way in is to see the 12 task types, then take a mock test. Nomto’s TOEFL room has every task type with the test timing and audio played once; Reading, Listening and Build a Sentence are checked instantly with explanations, and speaking and writing are scored 0–5 on the official rubrics by AI, marked as an estimate. The adaptive mock tests report a 1–6 band for each section and the 0–120 total. Start with TOEFL sample questions and how to prepare for TOEFL.

Common questions

Is TOEFL easier than IELTS in 2026? Not in score terms, because institutions set separate minimums. It is shorter and has no long essay, which many people find easier; others find the recorded speaking harder than a conversation.

Is TOEFL accepted in the UK? By many universities for degree courses, yes. For UK visas that require a SELT, no.

Is TOEFL accepted in Canada for PR? No. Express Entry accepts CELPIP, IELTS General Training, PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada.

Is TOEFL accepted in Australia for PR or visas? Only a test taken at a centre and registered through the “TOEFL for Australia” option; never the Home Edition.

Which is cheaper in India? TOEFL: ₹15,729 against ₹19,000 for IELTS (October 2026).

Sources (checked 30.10.2026)

• ETS, TOEFL iBT fees (country list) and in.ets.org fees; ETS, TOEFL overview: “13,500+ institutions across 160+ countries”.
• ETS, Study in Australia and the 2026–27 TOEFL iBT Bulletin, p. 11.
• ETS newsroom, TOEFL Essentials and Canada, 21 August 2025.
• IELTS, IELTS Academic test (2 h 45 min), results times, One Skill Retake, US centres in Denver and San Francisco.
• IDP India, IELTS test fee.
• GOV.UK, approved SELTs and Student visa: knowledge of English.
• IRCC, Express Entry language tests and end of the Student Direct Stream.
• Australian Department of Home Affairs, English language requirements.
• University of Cambridge, postgraduate offer conditions guide 2026–27.

TOEFL® and TOEFL iBT® are registered trademarks of ETS. Nomto is not endorsed or approved by ETS.

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