Which is better between Duolingo and IELTS for the USA?

While the hearing and reading portions of the IELTS exam are the same for all applicants, the reading and writing portions fluctuate depending on the candidate. 

The Duolingo English Test is adaptive. Therefore it is made to measure your level of language skill accurately. 

Conducting Body    
IELTS: British Council and IDP IELTS.     
Duolingo: Duolingo 

Mode of Examination    
IELTS: Both Online and Offline    
Duolingo: Online

Exam Fees ( USD)    
IELTS: Ranges between $245 – USD 255 (INR 18186- INR 18928)    
Duolingo: $49 (INR 3637)

Duration of Exam    
IELTS: 165 mins    
Duolingo: 60 mins

Results Declaration    
IELTS: 3-5 days (Online Mode) and 13 days (Offline Mode)    
Duolingo: 48 hours

Scoring Range    
IELTS: Bands (0-9)    
Duolingo: Score (10-160)

Format of the Exam
Listening Section: To take the IELTS exam, candidates must listen to four recordings, on which they will answer a series of questions. These recordings could either be a dialogue or a monologue. Matching, multiple-choice questions, and sentence completion are some tasks that fall under this division.

Contrarily, in Duolingo, candidates must listen to a list of spoken phrases that includes both actual and fake English words and then choose the appropriate English terms. Additionally, they will receive audio recordings that need to be accurately transcribed.

Writing Section: There are two writing problems in the IELTS writing section. The section task is writing an essay responding to a claim, point of view, or issue. The reactions must be required to be formal.

In contrast, the Duolingo English Test will challenge the candidate to choose real English words from a list of pseudowords, complete the blanks in a given sentence, respond to a question with a minimum of 500 words, and type the statement after listening to the audio recording.

Reading Section: The reading portion of the IELTS exam assesses a range of abilities, including reading for the main idea, reading for the gist, and comprehending logical justifications and points of view. When completing the assignments for Academic Reading, the candidate must read three lengthy texts taken from books, journals, magazines, and newspapers. These papers cover various topics, from discursive analysis to factual descriptions. The texts for the General Training Reading also come from announcements, company handbooks, ads, and rules.

Contrarily, in the Duolingo English Test, applicants must read the phrases accurately and complete any gaps in the sentences' meaning with appropriate letters and words.

Speaking Section: The speaking portion of the IELTS test is broken down into three tasks. Candidates must respond to broad questions about themselves in the first task. The second activity requires the candidate to discuss a topic written on a card. A round of discussion is the third assignment.

On the other hand, in the Duolingo English Test, applicants must describe an image given to them. The sentences that will be provided to them must also be read aloud. Additionally, they must respond verbally to any questions posed in this area.

The primary distinctions between Duolingo and IELTS. Even though IELTS is significantly more popular than Duolingo, foreign colleges are accepting the Duolingo English Test in light of Covid-19.