The cost of taking the TOEFL Essentials Test was recently increased to $199 USD. That’s about a 100% increase. In a few markets, the TOEFL Essentials is now more expensive than the TOEFL iBT.
It’s a curious move. I can’t really figure it out. Perhaps someone with a bigger brain than I can explain it.
The TOEFL Essentials test was launched in May of 2021 as a cheaper, shorter and wholly at-home alternative to the TOEFL iBT. At the time, most people assumed its development was a response to the growing prominence of the Duolingo English Test. It never really took off, though. That’s partly because the number of accepting institutions was low and also because it was still twice as expensive (and twice as long) as the DET.
One of the new items developed for the test (the “writing for an academic discussion” task) was folded into the TOEFL iBT in 2023. It appears that a few more of its items (some also shared with the TOEIC) will be added to the iBT in January.