EF SET vs Duolingo English Test at a glance
| Feature | EF SET | Duolingo English Test |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (no paid certificate option) | $65 per attempt |
| Languages | English only | English only |
| AI adaptive | No | Yes |
| Certificate | Free digital certificate | Digital certificate accepted by 5000+ institutions |
| CEFR levels | A1 to C2 | A1 to C2 mapping |
| Test duration | 50 minutes (full) or 15 minutes (short) | 60 minutes |
| Best for | Quick self-assessment, widely recognised brand | University admissions in US/Canada, affordable alternative to IELTS |
Price and format
EF SET costs Free (no paid certificate option) and takes 50 minutes (full) or 15 minutes (short). Duolingo English Test costs $65 per attempt and takes 60 minutes. Neither is inherently better on price alone since each serves a somewhat different primary purpose.
Recognition and best use case
EF SET is best known for quick self-assessment, widely recognised brand. Duolingo English Test is best known for university admissions in us/canada, affordable alternative to ielts. EF SET suits a quick, no-cost self-assessment, while Duolingo suits situations where you need a result institutions will actually accept, such as a university application.
Weaknesses to know about
EF SET's main drawback: no ai adaptation, english only, no paid verified certificate. Duolingo English Test's main drawback: expensive ($65), english only, primarily academic use.
Is there a cheaper alternative to both EF SET and Duolingo English Test
If neither exam's formal accreditation is a strict requirement for your situation, an independent CEFR-aligned test like Examinizer offers a faster and considerably cheaper option. It costs €8 for a verified certificate with a QR code, compared to Free (no paid certificate option) for EF SET or $65 per attempt for Duolingo English Test, and gives an instant result rather than days or weeks of waiting.
This works well for employer screening, CVs, LinkedIn profiles, and personal tracking, though it does not replace either exam where a specific accreditation is legally required, such as most visa applications or university admissions that name EF SET or Duolingo English Test directly.
Compare with Examinizer →See the full EF SET vs Examinizer breakdown
Common questions about EF SET vs Duolingo English Test
Generally no. EF SET is primarily a self-assessment tool, while Duolingo English Test has established formal acceptance at over 5,000 institutions for admissions purposes.
Because Duolingo's result carries institutional acceptance for university admissions, which EF SET's free assessment does not, making the $65 cost worthwhile for that specific purpose.
EF SET offers a 15-minute short version alongside its 50-minute full test. Duolingo takes about 60 minutes with no shorter option.
EF SET's full test and Duolingo both assess reading, listening, writing, and speaking, though question formats and depth differ.