PTE vs IELTS vs TOEFL vs Duolingo Compared

By Muntasir Jul 15, 2026 8 min read

TL;DR

IELTS scores on a 0 to 9 band scale, TOEFL iBT on a new 1 to 6 scale, PTE Academic on a 10 to 90 scale, and Duolingo on a 10 to 160 scale. Duolingo takes about 1 hour, TOEFL and PTE about 2 hours each, and IELTS about 2 hours 45 minutes.

IELTS Writing and Speaking are graded by human examiners, while PTE and Duolingo blend AI grading with human checks, and TOEFL Speaking is scored with ETS's automated SpeechRater. Standard results take about 2 days for PTE and Duolingo, 3 for TOEFL, 3 to 5 for IELTS. IELTS offers a One Skill Retake: redo one section without retaking the whole test.

PTE vs IELTS vs TOEFL vs Duolingo Compared

Four English proficiency tests dominate university admissions and visa applications: PTE Academic, IELTS, TOEFL iBT, and the Duolingo English Test. Each one uses a different length, a different scoring scale, and a different mix of AI and human grading. Picking the wrong test wastes weeks of prep time and money.

This guide lines up the format, timing, scoring, and turnaround time for all four tests side by side. It also covers the retake rules for each test, including the IELTS One Skill Retake, which lets you redo a single skill instead of the whole test, and shows you how to use our score converter to translate a target score from one test to another.

Format and Timing at a Glance

Total test time ranges from about 1 hour to almost 3 hours across the four tests. PTE Academic takes about 2 hours across three parts and 22 question types, including the two Speaking tasks Pearson added on 7 August 2025, Summarize Group Discussion and Respond to a Situation. The Duolingo English Test runs about 1 hour and is fully online, adaptive, and available on demand with no fixed test dates. The TOEFL iBT, redesigned worldwide on January 21, 2026, takes about 2 hours, with adaptive Reading and Listening sections and linear Writing and Speaking sections. IELTS is the longest at about 2 hours 45 minutes across four sections.

Test	Total time	Sections	Delivery
PTE Academic	About 2 hours, length varies with your test form	Speaking and Writing (76-84 min), Reading (22-30 min), Listening (31-39 min), 22 question types	Computer-delivered
Duolingo English Test	About 1 hour	Single adaptive session covering listening, reading, speaking, and writing	Fully online, on demand, taken anytime
TOEFL iBT	About 2 hours	Reading (about 30 min, 50 items), Listening (about 29 min, 47 items), Writing (about 23 min, 12 items), Speaking (about 8 min, 11 items)	Computer-delivered, no scheduled breaks
IELTS	About 2 hours 45 minutes	Listening (about 30 min), Reading (60 min), Writing (60 min), Speaking (11-14 min)	Computer-delivered

Scoring Scales Compared

Each test reports scores on its own scale, so a 90 on PTE and a 90 on TOEFL mean completely different things. PTE Academic scores from 10 to 90 on the Global Scale of English. The Duolingo English Test scores from 10 to 160, reported in 5-point increments, with your overall score set as the average of your four individual subscores, rounded to the nearest 5.

The redesigned TOEFL iBT uses a new 1 to 6 scale in half-point increments per section, with your overall score set as the average of your four section scores, rounded to the nearest half band. IELTS scores from 0 to 9 in whole or half bands, with your Overall Band set as the average of your four skill bands, rounded to the nearest whole or half band. An average ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band, and an average ending in .75 rounds up to the next whole band.

Test	Scale	How the overall score is set
PTE Academic	10 to 90	Global Scale of English score
Duolingo English Test	10 to 160, in 5-point steps	Average of 4 individual subscores, rounded to the nearest 5
TOEFL iBT	1 to 6 (new scale), in 0.5 steps	Average of 4 section scores, rounded to the nearest half band
IELTS	0 to 9, in whole or half bands	Average of the 4 skill bands, rounded to the nearest whole or half band. An average ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band and an average ending in .75 rounds up to the next whole band.

TOEFL's New 1 to 6 Scale and CEFR

ETS launched the new 1 to 6 TOEFL iBT scale mapped directly to the CEFR framework used across Europe and beyond.

6 lines up with CEFR C2
5 to 5.5 lines up with CEFR C1
4 to 4.5 lines up with CEFR B2
3 to 3.5 lines up with CEFR B1
2 to 2.5 lines up with CEFR A2
1 to 1.5 lines up with CEFR A1

ETS reports both the new 1 to 6 scale and the legacy 0 to 120 scale side by side from January 2026 to January 2028. After January 2028, score reports show only the 1 to 6 scale, so plan your applications around the new scale if you are testing later in the transition window.

Duolingo's 8 Subscores

Your Duolingo score report includes 8 separate subscores. Four are Individual subscores: Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing. Four are Integrated subscores, and each one is set as a simple average of two Individual subscores.

Literacy combines Reading and Writing
Conversation combines Listening and Speaking
Comprehension combines Reading and Listening
Production combines Speaking and Writing

AI Scoring vs Human Scoring

Grading methods vary sharply across the four tests, and this affects both consistency and turnaround speed. PTE Academic combines AI scoring with human quality monitoring, and Pearson states initial marking carries no human bias. The Duolingo English Test uses AI and machine learning models trained on expert-rated samples to grade Speaking and Writing, then adds a live human proctor review before certifying your score. ETS scores TOEFL iBT spoken responses with SpeechRater, its automated speech recognition and analysis service. IELTS stands apart: Writing and Speaking are marked by human IELTS examiners against published assessment criteria.

Test	How responses are scored
PTE Academic	AI scoring combined with human expertise and quality monitoring, with no human bias in initial marking
Duolingo English Test	AI and machine learning models grade open-ended Speaking and Writing responses end to end. A live human proctor reviews every session before certification
TOEFL iBT	Spoken responses are scored with SpeechRater, ETS's automated speech recognition and analysis service
IELTS	Listening and Reading are marked objectively, 1 mark per correct answer. Writing and Speaking are assessed by human IELTS examiners using published assessment criteria

Results Turnaround Time

Score delivery speed matters if you are racing an application deadline. PTE Academic results typically arrive within 2 days, though processing sometimes takes up to 5 business days. The Duolingo English Test delivers standard results within 48 hours, with an expedited option delivering results within 12 hours for an extra fee.

TOEFL iBT scores post online 3 days after your test date, with a downloadable PDF report following 24 to 48 hours later, and mailed paper copies taking 11 to 15 days, or 2 to 5 business days for express delivery in 75 countries. TOEFL iBT scores stay valid for 2 years from your test date. IELTS computer-delivered results arrive in 3 to 5 days, often within 1 to 2 days. Paper-based results took 13 days before the IELTS partners ended paper-based testing from mid-2026, so all IELTS tests are now delivered on computer. In selected markets, a Writing on Paper option lets you handwrite your answers to the Writing section.

Test	Standard turnaround	Notes
PTE Academic	Within 2 days	Up to 5 business days if processing is delayed
Duolingo English Test	Within 48 hours	Expedited option delivers results within 12 hours for an extra fee
TOEFL iBT	Online scores in 3 days, PDF report 24 to 48 hours later	Express mailed copies in 2 to 5 business days, 75 countries
IELTS	3 to 5 days	Results often arrive within 1 to 2 days

Retake Rules

All four tests allow retakes, and the waiting rules set them apart. TOEFL iBT sets no limit on attempts and only blocks a second test inside a 3-day period. PTE Academic holds your next booking until your last score arrives, and caps you at 12 tests per 12-month window. The Duolingo English Test limits you to 3 purchased tests in any 30-day period, and IELTS adds a retake covering a single skill.

Test	Retake rule
PTE Academic	Book a new test only after you receive the scores from your last test. One booking at a time, and up to 12 tests within a 12-month window
Duolingo English Test	Buy another test after a certified result, with a limit of 3 tests in any 30-day period. You have 21 days from purchase to start a test
TOEFL iBT	No limit on the number of attempts, but no more than one test in any 3-day period, even if you cancelled the scores from a previous test
IELTS	One Skill Retake on 1 of the 4 skills, taken within 60 days of a full computer-delivered test, once per full test

IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR)

The IELTS One Skill Retake lets you redo a single skill instead of the entire test.

Available only after a full IELTS on computer test, Academic or General Training on computer, or IELTS for UKVI on computer in select locations
Not available after a paper-based test
Take the retake within 60 days of your original test date
Allowed once per full test, and only for 1 of the 4 skills
Your retake score replaces the original score for the retaken skill, even if the new score is lower
You choose which Test Report Form, original or new, to send to institutions
Results arrive in 3 to 5 days

Using the Score Cross-Converter to Compare Requirements

Comparing a raw score across tests is not straightforward. A 90 on the 10 to 90 PTE scale, a 6 on the new 1 to 6 TOEFL scale, and a 9 on the 0 to 9 IELTS scale sit on completely different numbering systems, and a school's minimum requirement rarely lists more than one test. See how universities read English test score minimums before you pick a test. Our free score cross-converter translates a target score or an existing result across PTE, IELTS, TOEFL iBT, and the Duolingo English Test, so you know exactly what to hit on the test you plan to take. No signup is required.

If you already have a PTE or Duolingo score in hand and want to double check it, run it through our PTE score calculator or Duolingo English Test score calculator. Once you settle on the test fitting your timeline and grading preference, practice on the real format with our free TOEFL practice tests and IELTS practice tests, no signup required. For a deeper side-by-side of the two most commonly compared tests, read TOEFL vs IELTS. If you are still deciding which English test fits your goals, read how to choose an English proficiency test.