TOEIC vs IELTS at a glance
| Feature | TOEIC | IELTS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $60-$130 per attempt | £180-£220 per attempt |
| Languages | English only | English only |
| AI adaptive | No | No |
| Certificate | Score report used by 14,000+ companies in 160 countries | Test Report Form accepted by 11,500+ organisations worldwide |
| CEFR levels | A1 to C1 mapping (10-990 scale) | A1 to C2 mapping (0-9 band scale) |
| Test duration | 120 minutes | 2 hours 45 minutes |
| Best for | Corporate HR screening, business English for employment | UK/Australia/Canada immigration and study, most widely recognised |
Price and format
TOEIC costs $60-$130 per attempt and takes 120 minutes. IELTS costs £180-£220 per attempt and takes 2 hours 45 minutes. Neither is inherently better on price alone since each serves a somewhat different primary purpose.
Recognition and best use case
TOEIC is best known for corporate hr screening, business english for employment. IELTS is best known for uk/australia/canada immigration and study, most widely recognised. Choose TOEIC if a specific employer or industry references it directly in hiring criteria. Choose IELTS if you need proof of English for immigration, university admission, or any purpose beyond workplace screening.
Weaknesses to know about
TOEIC's main drawback: requires exam centre, no writing/speaking assessment, expensive. IELTS's main drawback: very expensive, requires exam centre, wait for results 13 days.
Is there a cheaper alternative to both TOEIC and IELTS
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 $60-$130 per attempt for TOEIC or £180-£220 per attempt for IELTS, 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 TOEIC or IELTS directly.
Compare with Examinizer →See the full TOEIC vs Examinizer breakdown
Common questions about TOEIC vs IELTS
No. TOEIC is not accepted as a SELT for UK visas or similarly for most immigration categories that specifically require IELTS or another named exam.
IELTS includes speaking and writing in its standard format. TOEIC's core Listening and Reading test does not; a separate Speaking and Writing module must be purchased separately.
TOEIC costs $60 to $130 compared to IELTS's £180 to £220, making TOEIC considerably less expensive, though it serves a narrower purpose.
It depends on the industry. Corporate roles in manufacturing, logistics, and international trade, especially in parts of Asia, often specifically reference TOEIC. Broader professional and immigration contexts typically favor IELTS.