If you were choosing between TOEFL and IELTS a year ago, you were choosing between two tests that had barely changed in a decade. Today that is no longer the case. In early 2026, ETS replaced the TOEFL iBT with a shorter, adaptive test with a completely new scoring system.
The old phrase stating that, “TOEFL for America, IELTS for everywhere else,” is now incorrect, and in a few specific cases it is actively wrong. A student who books the wrong test in 2026 can have a perfect score on the test but it won’t be accepted by his university or the program.
This guide covers the actual differences between updated TOEFL 2026 and IELTS and answers the questions which one you should take depending on your circumstances.
What changed in the TOEFL
The new TOEFL iBT released in January 2026 is a completely different test, four changes matter.
It is much shorter. The test now runs about 90 minutes, compared to 2.5 hours before and there is no scheduled break. Depending on how the adaptive sections route you, some candidates finish in closer to 70 to 85 minutes.
Reading and Listening are adaptive. Each of these sections is split into two modules. The first module is called the “Routing” module and it is the same for everybody taking the test. It doesn’t necessarily mean the questions are totally identical, but the number of questions, plus their durations are the same for everybody. Your performance on the Routing module decides whether the second one is easier or harder. The difficulty shifts once, between modules. The practical consequence is that the first module effectively sets your ceiling and you can’t get more than 4/6 for the whole Reading or Listening part. Once you get the Hard module you’ll aim for 6/6 for the Listening or Reading section.
All the tasks in TOEFL 2026 are new. The long integrated tasks and the traditional essay are gone, now they’ve been replaced by shorter tasks:
- Reading: Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life, Read an Academic Passage
- Listening: Listen and Choose a Response, Listen to a Conversation, Listen to an Announcement, Listen to an Academic Talk
- Writing: Build a Sentence, Write an Email, Write for an Academic Discussion
- Speaking: Listen and Repeat, Take an Interview
The whole Speaking section now takes around eight minutes. It might sound easier but in reality the new format of speaking makes it almost impossible to use templates. Whereas before students had from 15 to 30 seconds on preparation and could easily draft the structure with learned templates, now exam leaves no choice since test takers have no more time to prepare before answering the questions.
The score scale is new. Instead of a total out of 120, now test-takers receive a band from 1.0 to 6.0 in half-point steps, both for each section and overall. The bands are mapped directly onto the CEFR, the European framework most universities already use to describe language levels. Until 2028, your score report will also show an equivalent 0 to 120 score, which gives universities and institutions time to adjust their requirements.
What changed in IELTS
The structure of IELTS Academic stays the same as for September 2026: Listening (30 minutes, 40 questions), Reading (60 minutes, 40 questions), Writing (60 minutes, two tasks) and Speaking (11 to 14 minutes). The whole test takes about 2 hours 45 minutes, and scores are still reported on the same 0 to 9 band scale.
As for September 2026, paper-based IELTS is being replaced, and in India the test has been computer-only since August 2026. The Speaking test is unaffected either way: it is still a face-to-face conversation with a certified examiner, and it can be scheduled up to a week before or after your other three sections.
Computer-based IELTS also gives you an option for One Skill Retake. If one section pulls your overall score down, you can retake only that section within 60 days instead of sitting the whole test again.
Comparing new TOEFL with IELTS side by side
| New TOEFL iBT (2026) | IELTS Academic | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | About 1.5 hours, no break | About 2 hours 45 minutes |
| Adaptive | Reading and Listening, by module | No |
| Speaking | Recorded, answered to a computer | Face-to-face with an examiner |
| Score scale | 1.0 to 6.0 (plus 0–120 until 2028) | 0 to 9 |
| Results | Within about 72 hours | 3–5 days (computer), about 13 (paper) |
| Improving one section | MyBest scores combine your best section results across attempts | One Skill Retake: retake one section within 60 days |
| Where you take it | Test centre or at home | Test centre, mostly on computer |
The question that matters most: will your university accept it?
This is where the choice has actually changed, and where most test-takers can make a mistake while choosing which English Proficiency test to take.
TOEFL is still accepted by more than 13,000 institutions, and for the large majority of applicants the new format is not a problem. But a small number of highly selective UK and US universities responded to the redesign by refusing to accept it, at least for now:
- Oxford will not accept TOEFL tests taken from 21 January 2026 until it has finished reviewing the revised test. Scores from before that date are still accepted.
- Cambridge does not accept the new TOEFL for undergraduate entry.
- Glasgow no longer accepts the TOEFL iBT for postgraduate study.
- Australia doesn’t accept updated format of the TOEFL
If any of the 3 schools listed above are on your list, IELTS is the safer choice today.
If you’re going to work, study or immigrate to Australia, your situation might be better. Let’s take a closer look at the situation with Australian schools, governmental organisations and institutions. The Department of Australian Home Affairs does not accept the new 1 to 6 band scores. For visa, migration and skills assessment purposes, ETS runs a separate test called TOEFL iBT for Australia, which is the same as the previous version of TOEFL 2025. This is both surprising and helpful at the same time since test-takers going to Australia can prepare for the test using materials which were gathered for many years online . The booking system may default to the standard global test, so you have to select the Australia version yourself. Here you need to be careful – book the wrong one and your score will not count for your visa.
My practical advice is simple. Before you book anything, open the English language requirements page on your target university’s own website and look for a mention of January 2026. A requirements page that has not been updated since 2025 is no longer a reliable guide.
How the scores compare
Because both tests now map into the CEFR, you can compare them directly. These equivalences are approximate, but they are close enough to check whether you meet a requirements:
| New TOEFL band | Approximate IELTS | CEFR level |
|---|---|---|
| 6.0 | 9.0 | C2 |
| 5.5 | 8.0 – 8.5 | C1 |
| 5.0 | 7.0 – 7.5 | C1 |
| 4.5 | 6.5 | B2 |
| 4.0 | 6.0 | B2 |
| 3.5 | 5.5 | B1 |
| 3.0 | 5.0 | B1 |
For most programmes you are looking at somewhere between TOEFL 4.0 and 5.5, or IELTS 6.0 to 7.5. Ivy league universities typically want TOEFL 5.0 or above, which corresponds to IELTS 7.0 and up.
The biggest practical difference: speaking
On IELTS you speak 1-on-1 to a person. The examiner asks a question, you answer, and the conversation moves at your pace. Many students find that more natural, especially if they are used to talking rather than performing.
On the TOEFL you speak to a computer. You hear a prompt, and then you answer against a timer. There is nobody to read your expression or give you a second to recover. The new Take an Interview task in TOEFL is designed to feel like a conversation, but it is still a recording.
From my observations I can see that many students who used to rely on memorised templates are now struggling with the updated version of Speaking and Writing in TOEFL 2026. We also see that ETS sometimes cancels a student’s score because of “repetitive ideas which were taken from online” used in Speaking or Writing responses which adds up the fear of using any kind of templates. From my experience, if you’re still leaning towards the updated TOEFL test, my suggestion is to use only link or transition phrases such as however, therefore, moreover, to sum up , and then answer questions with your own ideas instead of reusing long phrases or cliches.
Mistakes I see most often
- Practicing with old TOEFL material. A large share of TOEFL content online still describes the pre-2026 test, with integrated tasks and a full essay that no longer exist in 2026. Check the date and task names before you study from anything, or work from TOEFL 2026 practice tests built on the current format.
- Booking the standard TOEFL for an Australian visa. It will not count. You need TOEFL iBT for Australia, or IELTS.
- Outdated requirements. If it does not mention 2026, confirm with the admissions office before you book.
- Expecting 10 minutes of transfer time on computer IELTS. You get two minutes to review Listening. Practice on the format you will actually take.
So which should you book?
- Oxford, Cambridge, or Glasgow postgraduate: IELTS, unless your TOEFL was taken before 21 January 2026.
- An Australian visa or skills assessment: IELTS, or TOEFL iBT for Australia. Never the standard global TOEFL.
- US universities: either works. The new TOEFL’s shorter format is a real advantage if you are comfortable on a computer.
- Several countries at once: IELTS currently has the fewest exceptions.
- You speak more confidently to a person than to a microphone: IELTS.
- You want the shorter test day: TOEFL.
Conclusion
In 2026, IELTS is the lower-risk choice for students applying to the UK or Australia, simply because its acceptance is more predictable while the TOEFL goes through its transition. For applicants focused on the United States, the new TOEFL is still a go-for option: shorter, quicker to score, and now far easier to compare against other tests.
Whichever you choose, prepare for the test as it exists now rather than as it used to be. Practising the wrong tasks is one of the most common, and most avoidable, mistakes candidates make this year.
If you would like to see how the IELTS format feels before you decide, you can try IELTS practice tests on TestSucceed.
Planning to take IELTS? Check out our latest IELTS exam syllabus and test format to understand the current test structure, sections, and question types.
About the author
Kirill O’Nayd is Head TOEFL Instructor at TestSucceed, a test preparation platform used by learners in more than 130 countries. He teaches the TOEFL 2026 course on Udemy and specialises in the 2026 TOEFL format and automated speaking assessment.
