IELTS and PTE Academic are accepted for many of the same things: university entry, professional registration and, in several countries, visas.
The English they test is the same. The experience of sitting them is not.
IELTS vs PTE at a glance
| IELTS | PTE Academic | |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | British Council, IDP and Cambridge | Pearson |
| Total time | About 2 hours 45 minutes | About 2 hours |
| Format | On computer, with Speaking face to face | On computer throughout |
| Structure | Four separate tests: Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking | Three parts: Speaking and Writing, Reading, Listening |
| Speaking | Live interview with an examiner, 11–14 minutes | Spoken into a microphone |
| Scoring | Examiners mark Writing and Speaking | AI scoring combined with human expertise |
| Score scale | Bands 0–9, in half bands | 10–90 |
| Results | Depends on the centre | Typically within 2 days |
| Taken at | A test centre in most cases | A test centre. Not available at home |
| Validity | Two years recommended | Two years |
Speaking: an examiner or a microphone
This is the difference most candidates feel first.
IELTS Speaking is a conversation. You sit with an examiner for 11 to 14 minutes and move through three parts: short personal questions, a two-minute talk on a cue card, and a discussion. The examiner can repeat a question, and you are marked on four criteria that the speaking guide explains.
In PTE Academic you speak into a headset at a computer. Your answers are recorded and scored by the system.
- If you perform better with a human listener who reacts to you, choose IELTS.
- If an interviewer makes you nervous, or you worry about one person’s judgement, PTE may suit you better.
Structure: separate skills or combined tasks
IELTS tests each skill in its own section. Writing is two tasks in 60 minutes. Reading is three passages in 60 minutes.
PTE Academic is built from many shorter question types in three parts, and Pearson gives these timings:
| PTE Academic part | Time |
|---|---|
| Speaking and Writing | 76–84 minutes |
| Reading | 23–30 minutes |
| Listening | 31–39 minutes |
Speaking and Writing are tested together in one part, and the test moves through many short question types at a fast pace.
IELTS rewards sustained work: a 250-word essay, a two-minute talk, a long passage. PTE rewards quick, accurate responses to many small tasks. Neither is harder. They suit different habits.
Scoring and results
IELTS gives a band from 0 to 9 for each skill and an overall band, the average of the four rounded to a half band. Listening and Reading are marked by counting correct answers; Writing and Speaking are marked by trained examiners against public band descriptors. See how raw scores become bands.
PTE Academic reports a score from 10 to 90 on Pearson’s Global Scale of English. Pearson describes the scoring as AI combined with human expertise.
Pearson says score reports typically arrive within two days, and may take up to five business days. If you are close to a deadline, that speed is a real advantage. For IELTS, ask the centre you plan to book how long results take.
Do not rely on an unofficial conversion table between the two scales. Use the score your organisation publishes for each test, and check for a minimum in each skill as well as overall. What IELTS band score do you need? explains how.
IELTS vs PTE for Australian visas
Australia accepts both, and most skilled visa applicants compare them on one thing: which test gets them to the English level they need, because higher levels earn more points.
The Department of Home Affairs changed the approved tests and scores on 7 August 2025. For tests taken on or after that date:
| English level | IELTS (Academic or General Training) | PTE Academic |
|---|---|---|
| Competent | 6.0 in each skill | Listening 47, Reading 48, Writing 51, Speaking 54 |
| Proficient | 7.0 in each skill | Listening 58, Reading 59, Writing 69, Speaking 76 |
| Superior | 8.0 in each skill | Listening 69, Reading 70, Writing 85, Speaking 88 |
Source: Department of Home Affairs.
What this means in practice:
- The PTE minimums are no longer one number. The old minimum for competent English, 50 in every skill, applies only to tests taken on or before 6 August 2025. New PTE results need a higher Speaking and Writing score than Listening and Reading.
- IELTS stays even across skills. 6.0, 7.0 or 8.0 in every skill, Academic or General Training.
- IELTS One Skill Retake is accepted for eligible Australian visas, so one weak skill can be retaken without sitting the whole test. Check your visa page to confirm.
- Online tests are not accepted. IELTS Online and other at-home tests cannot be used for Australian visas, so book a test at a centre.
Results from tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 can still be used until 6 August 2028, depending on the visa.
If Speaking is your strongest skill, PTE’s new Speaking minimums are the ones to look at closely. If your four IELTS skills are even, IELTS is the simpler target. IELTS costs AUD 490 in Australia, as listed in IELTS fees by country; check PTE’s price on Pearson’s booking page.
Typing matters more in PTE
Everything in PTE Academic is done at a keyboard under time pressure. If you type slowly or make frequent typing errors, practise that before you book.
IELTS on computer also needs typing for the Writing test, but you have a full hour for two tasks and a live word count. Computer-delivered IELTS vs paper describes what the screen gives you.
Which one should you take?
1. Check what is accepted. This comes first. Universities, professional bodies and visa programmes each publish the tests and scores they accept, and they do not all accept both. Pearson states that PTE Academic is approved by Australia and New Zealand for work and migration visas and accepted by more than 4,000 universities and colleges. IELTS is accepted very widely and has a General Training version for migration and work.
2. Compare dates, locations and fees near you. IELTS fees by country has current IELTS prices.
3. Choose your Speaking format. A person or a microphone.
4. Think about how you work. Longer tasks with time to plan, or many short tasks at speed.
5. Consider your deadline. If you need a result in a few days, check the result times for both before booking.
If you choose IELTS
Take a free IELTS mock test to get a band for each skill, then work on the weakest one. The Writing Task 2 guide and the Speaking topics guide are the best places to start, because Writing and Speaking are the skills where IELTS and PTE differ most.
Sources
- PTE Academic (Pearson) Official PTE Academic facts: a single two-hour test in three parts, the 10 to 90 score scale, AI scoring combined with human expertise, results typically within two days, two-year validity, and that it is taken at a test centre and not at home.
- Australian Department of Home Affairs: competent, proficient and superior English Minimum IELTS and PTE Academic scores for each English level for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, the older PTE scores for earlier tests, acceptance of IELTS One Skill Retake and the rule against fully online tests.
- IELTS Speaking test format IELTS Speaking is an interview with a certificated examiner lasting 11 to 14 minutes.
- IELTS scoring in detail The IELTS 9-band scale, how the overall band is calculated, and the two-year validity recommendation.
Last reviewed October 15, 2026. See our editorial policy for how guides are checked and corrected.
Frequently asked questions
- Is PTE easier than IELTS?
- Not in general. Both measure the same range of English. PTE suits people who type quickly and are comfortable speaking to a computer. IELTS suits people who prefer talking to an examiner and writing longer answers. The easier test is the one whose format fits you.
- What is the main difference between IELTS and PTE?
- How you speak and how you are scored. IELTS Speaking is a live interview marked by an examiner. PTE Academic is taken entirely on a computer, including speaking into a microphone, and uses AI scoring combined with human expertise.
- Which is accepted for Australian visas, IELTS or PTE?
- Both are accepted. For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, competent English needs IELTS 6.0 in each skill or PTE Academic 47 Listening, 48 Reading, 51 Writing and 54 Speaking. Proficient English needs IELTS 7.0 in each skill and superior English 8.0 in each. Check the level your visa asks for.
- How quickly do PTE and IELTS results come?
- Pearson says PTE Academic score reports typically arrive within two days and can take up to five business days. IELTS result times depend on the test format and centre, so check with the centre where you book.
- How long are IELTS and PTE scores valid?
- Two years for both. A PTE Academic score is valid for two years from the test date, and IELTS recommends that results are treated as valid for two years, with the receiving organisation deciding.
- Can I take PTE or IELTS at home?
- PTE Academic cannot be taken at home. It is taken on a computer at an authorised test centre. IELTS is normally taken at a test centre too. Ask your local IELTS provider whether an online option exists in your country and whether your organisation accepts it.