By Sameer, lead instructor at Precise PTE.
Since the move to per skill thresholds, the question is no longer which test gives a higher overall number. It is which test lets you clear every individual minimum.
For Superior English at 20 points, PTE requires Listening 79, Reading 79, Writing 79 and Speaking 79. Writing and Speaking are the hard walls for most candidates. Students with strong reading habits but accented speech sometimes find IELTS more forgiving; students who freeze in a face to face interview almost always do better on PTE.
PTE results usually arrive within 48 hours, which matters when an invitation round is close. It is computer scored, so marking is consistent between attempts and you can actually measure whether your preparation moved the needle.
Cost matters too. Two PTE attempts with a clear repair plan between them often costs less than months of coaching aimed at a single perfect sitting.
Our honest advice: take one scored mock of each. Pick the test where your weakest section clears the threshold, not the one where your overall looks best.