PTE, DET, IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC Comparison

There are a ton of English proficiency tests on earth that test-takers can take to fulfil their needs. Let’s explore the most well-known English tests, including IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC, DET and PTE.

First and foremost, kindly notice that all the English Proficiency tests are the same in terms of testing students' skills (Listening - Reading - Writing - Speaking) for Academic or Workplace purposes. The main differences are about their Test Structure and Question Formats; therefore, improving general English every day is the key to success aside from practising on the PTE Practice Platform.

In this article, we will be comparing all these tests based on several criteria, including Cost, Length, Locations, Institution Accepted, Reservation, Validation time, Time to get certificates, and so on, to help you make your decision easier. Now, let’s dive in! 

1. ELTS Academic

Introduced in 1980, IELTS has gone through several changes to offer two test versions nowadays, including paper and computer. As far as we’re concerned, IELTS is one of the most famous tests and used in a wide range of sectors, including employers, higher education, immigration, and so on. However, there are also drawbacks to taking the IELTS, such as high test fees, a long time to get the certificate, or test-takers needing to go to the test centre to prove their English skills. 

Even though IELTS has paper and computer test versions, the core difference is only about your experience on test day. In detail, you take your Reading, Listening, and Writing completely in front of a screen if you choose the computer version; regarding the Speaking skill, you still have to take it face-to-face with an examiner. 

2. TOEFL iBT

TOEFL is the oldest among all tests; it was initially published in 1964 and has been helping millions of students achieve their overseas study goals besides other purposes. TOEFL has two major test types, including TOEFL Essentials and TOEFL iBT. 

First things first, TOEFL iBT is accepted in most institutions for the admissions process and study abroad. It has two versions of taking the test in the center and at home. Secondly, you can take the TOEFL Essentials at home. If we put them in comparison, the TOEFL iBT is more popular than the Essentials. But it completely depends on your needs and purposes to pick the suitable one. 

3. TOEIC 04 skills

We’re all aware of the TOEIC 02 and 04 skills version. Because we are comparing with other tests, which evaluate your English proficiency based on 04 skills; therefore, we will only discuss TOEIC 04 skills to obtain a more accurate result. 

TOEIC 04 skills is established to evaluate your English levels predominantly for job application and promotion. TOEIC 04 skills are accepted by most employers worldwide in order to test their candidates’ skills before going on board or giving a higher authority position. Besides, in lots of countries such as Vietnam, universities require their students to have a certain score of TOEIC 04 skills to graduate. 

*The pricing varies in different regions; you should check ETS Preferred Network for an accurate price in your country. Additionally, you can take TOEIC normally every 28 days after receiving your test results from the previous test. 

4. Duolingo English Test

Here we come to the youngest and most promising English proficiency test – the Duolingo English Test (DET) brought to you by Duolingo. Yes, the Duolingo English Test fee is the cheapest valued at $US 65.  

Currently, the DET is accepted by over 5,100 institutions across the world aside from other benefits of only taking the test for 1 hour, and test-takers can sit for it anywhere at any time they prefer. Nevertheless, DET preparation materials are limited, which makes it a challenge to prepare for this test. Our Academic Team utterly comprehend this drawback, so we also have the DET Practice Platform to help boost your scores. 

5.  PTE Academic 

The PTE Academic is younger than the IELTS but older than the DET, it was first introduced in 2009. It’s another prestigious English proficiency test helping students apply for admissions processes, especially for visa purposes and immigration. There are two versions that students should know: PTE Academic at test centres and Online. If students take the Online version, they can only use its certificates for admission processes.

It depends on your region to specify a certain fee to take PTE Academic or Internet-based version, so you should check it carefully with any test centres in your country. You can still take the Internet-based version if your country doesn’t have any PTE test centres. According to Pearson, the test-centre version is accepted by over 3,500 institutions (updated on 19 August 2024), while the PTE Academic Online is accepted just by over 3,000 universities. For more information about the PTE Academic, let’s take a look at this article: “What is the PTE?”.

In case you plan to take the Pearson Test of English, feel free to practice on the PTE Practice Platform – TADE Hub. We offer thousands of practicing questions similar to the real ones, so you can experience everything exactly the same on your test day. On top of that, you receive instant feedback for every practicing question, especially for Speaking and Writing items, as we evaluate your English skills based on the same grading elements that Pearson also uses them to assess your skills. 

The image below is sample feedback of the Pronunciation element that you need to know for every Speaking question. You can always review a video sample feedback. 

Are you ready to get your PTE Ready and pursue your study abroad dream Go to the PTE Practice Platform, create your FREE account, and enhance your DET scores today.