Frequently Asked Questions About IQ Testing

Short answers to the questions people ask most often about IQ scores and about taking a test online. Each links to a fuller explanation where there is one.

About the score

What does my IQ score actually mean?

It describes your position relative to a reference group, not a quantity of intelligence. The scale is set so that the reference group averages 100, with 15 points as one standard deviation. A score of 115 means you performed one standard deviation above that group's average. Full explanation here.

Is a score of 120 good?

It is higher than roughly 91% of people. But "good" depends on what you want the number for — and for most purposes the number is not the useful thing. See the score ranges for what each band corresponds to.

What is a genius-level IQ?

There is no official threshold, and most psychologists avoid the word entirely. "Very Superior" conventionally starts around 130, which is about the top 2% and the level Mensa uses for membership. "Genius" is a popular label rather than a technical one.

Why is the average always 100?

Because it is defined that way. Test scores are transformed so that the standardisation sample averages 100, and tests are periodically re-normed to keep it there. More on norming and the Flynn effect.

What is a percentile?

The percentage of the reference population scoring at or below your score. At IQ 110 you are at roughly the 75th percentile — higher than about three quarters of people. Percentiles are usually more informative than the raw number, because they show how crowded or sparse your part of the distribution is.

My two tests gave different numbers. Which is right?

Possibly neither, exactly. Different tests use different item types, different norm samples and sometimes different standard deviations. A difference of several points between two instruments is unremarkable. Always check the standard deviation before comparing — a score on an SD-24 scale is not comparable to one on SD 15.

Taking a test

Does retaking a test improve my score?

Usually yes, and that gain is mostly a practice effect rather than an improvement in reasoning. The increase is largest between the first and second attempt and shrinks after that. More on what does and does not move a score.

How often can I take an IQ test?

As often as you like online, but each repeat makes the result less informative because of the practice effect. Clinicians typically leave a substantial interval between administrations of the same instrument for this reason.

Does the time limit matter?

Yes. Timed and untimed versions of the same items measure somewhat different things — a time limit folds processing speed into the result. Removing time pressure generally raises scores, so scores from untimed tests are not comparable to timed ones.

Is this test accurate?

It is a reasonable indication, not a measurement. Any unsupervised online test is taken in conditions nobody can verify, by a respondent whose age and circumstances are unverified, and is normed on people who chose to take an IQ test online rather than on a representative sample. It can suggest roughly where you sit; it cannot deliver a clinical figure. How online and professional tests differ.

Do I need to be a native English speaker?

Not for this test. The items are non-verbal — patterns, sequences and figures rather than vocabulary — so they do not depend on language proficiency. The interface is available in eleven languages.

Can I use paper, a calculator, or look things up?

Scratch paper is fine and often helps on sequence items. Looking up answers defeats the purpose: the resulting number describes your searching, not your reasoning.

Interpreting a result

Does IQ predict success?

At the population level it correlates moderately with academic and occupational outcomes. At the individual level it predicts very little, because the variation within any score band is far larger than the differences between bands. It also omits persistence, judgement, creativity and social skill entirely.

Does IQ change with age?

Your position relative to your own age group is fairly stable in adulthood, since scores are age-normed. The underlying abilities do shift: fluid reasoning tends to peak in early adulthood and decline gradually, while crystallised knowledge often continues growing well into middle age.

Is intelligence inherited?

Twin and adoption studies find substantial heritability, and estimates tend to increase with age. But heritability is a population statistic describing the sources of variation within a group under particular conditions — it does not tell you the cause of any individual's score, and it does not mean scores are fixed.

Should I worry about a low score?

Not on the basis of an online test. Fatigue, distraction, unfamiliarity with the format, anxiety and a poor connection all depress scores without saying anything about your ability. If you have a genuine concern about cognitive functioning — particularly a change over time, or a child struggling at school — a qualified psychologist is the right place to take it, not a website.

This site

How long does the assessment take?

20 questions with a 30-minute overall limit. Most people finish well inside it.

Do I need to register?

No. There is no account and no sign-up. Your session is held in your browser via cookies, which means clearing cookies or switching device can make an unclaimed result unreachable.

What does it cost?

Taking the assessment is free. Viewing the detailed report — score, percentile, accuracy, classification and per-question analysis — is unlocked either by sharing the test with a friend or by a one-time payment. The current price is shown on the payment page, and the full terms are in our Terms of Service.

What happens to my data?

Answers, score, timing, IP address and derived country are stored; payment details are handled by PayPal and never reach us. Our Privacy Policy sets out the detail, including how to request deletion. Questions can go to our contact page.