The Duolingo English Test offers several perks compared to similar tests, such as the TOEFL and IELTS exams. As long as the organization verifying your language proficiency accepts the Duolingo test, these perks may be the deciding factor in which test you choose:
The Duolingo English Test costs $49 plus applicable taxes at the time of writing, and you can send your scores to up to 40 institutions for no extra cost. The TOEFL test, by comparison, can cost around $200, depending on your testing location, plus $20 per additional score report you’d like to send. IELTS, meanwhile, charges more than $200 for their exam, depending on your location.
You can take the Duolingo English from any quiet, private, and bright location with a properly equipped computer and an internet connection. Once you buy the test, you can take it anytime in the following 21 days—no need to make an appointment. Plus, if you had a bad test day, you can easily take the test again, as many as two times in a 30-day period.
Since a computer scores all sections of the Duolingo English test, you get your results quickly. They should be available within 48 hours after you submit the test—a big bonus if you’re facing application deadlines.