The short answer
The personality tests most similar to the MBTI are other tests built on Carl Jung’s psychological types: 16Personalities, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, Truity’s TypeFinder, free open-source Jungian tests and Socionics. Like the MBTI, they give you a type label, usually four letters.
Other popular tests are often mentioned as alternatives, though they work differently:
- Other type systems: the Enneagram and DISC
- Trait-based tests: the Big Five (OCEAN), HEXACO and the 16PF
- Strengths tools: CliftonStrengths
Whether a test is “similar” depends on what you want. Some match the MBTI’s format, and others are better at measuring personality accurately. The sections below group them by how closely they resemble the MBTI.
Tests based on the same Jungian types
These tests share the MBTI’s foundation in Jung’s ideas and produce similar four-letter results.
16Personalities
16Personalities is probably the most widely taken MBTI-style test online. It’s free to take, uses the familiar letters, gives each type a name such as “Mediator” or “Commander,” and adds an -A (Assertive) or -T (Turbulent) suffix. It is not the official MBTI, and its questions and scoring are its own, so results won’t always match.
Keirsey Temperament Sorter
Developed by psychologist David Keirsey, this test groups the 16 types into four temperaments: Artisans, Guardians, Idealists and Rationals. It focuses more on observable behavior and less on Jung’s cognitive functions. It’s a good choice if you like the MBTI’s types but want a simpler four-group overview.
Truity TypeFinder and free Jungian tests
Several sites offer their own questionnaires that produce the 16 types, Truity’s TypeFinder among them. The Open Extended Jungian Type Scales, from the Open Psychometrics project, is a free, openly published option. These tests vary in quality and length, so two of them won’t necessarily agree on your type.
Socionics
Socionics is a related type system developed in the Soviet Union in the 1970s, also based on Jung. It uses 16 types and puts heavy emphasis on how types interact in relationships. It’s better known in Eastern Europe than elsewhere, and its labels don’t map perfectly onto MBTI types, especially for the last letter.
Shared limitation: because all of these tests sort people into categories, they inherit the MBTI’s main weaknesses. Borderline scorers can flip types, and the evidence linking types to real-world outcomes is limited. We cover that in Is the MBTI scientifically valid?
Other type-based systems
These tests also give you a type, but they aren’t built on Jung’s four dichotomies.
Enneagram
The Enneagram describes nine types, each organized around a core motivation or fear: for example, Type 1’s desire to be good and correct, or Type 5’s desire to understand. It adds ideas such as “wings” (neighboring types) and how a type behaves under stress or growth. People who like the MBTI often find the Enneagram complementary, because it focuses on why you act rather than how you prefer to process information. Like the MBTI, it has a limited peer-reviewed research base.
DISC
DISC sorts behavior into four styles: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientiousness. It traces back to ideas from psychologist William Moulton Marston in the 1920s, and today it’s offered by various publishers in slightly different versions. DISC is used mainly in workplaces, especially for communication and sales training. It’s narrower than the MBTI and focuses on behavior in work settings rather than on whole personality.
Trait-based alternatives
These tests don’t give you a type. Instead, they score you on several dimensions. They’re less similar in format but often recommended by psychologists as more accurate. For background on the difference, see type vs trait theory.
Big Five (OCEAN)
The Big Five measures Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism. It’s the dominant model in personality research. Four of its traits correspond roughly to the four MBTI scales, and it adds Neuroticism (emotional stability), which the MBTI doesn’t measure. Free options include the IPIP-NEO and various short Big Five inventories. The NEO-PI-3 is a professional version used by psychologists. See our full Big Five vs Myers-Briggs comparison.
HEXACO
HEXACO extends trait models to six dimensions, adding Honesty-Humility, which reflects sincerity, fairness and modesty. It came from lexical research across several languages. A free version of its inventory is published by its developers.
16PF
Despite the name, the 16PF (Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire) is not a 16-type test. Developed from Raymond Cattell’s research, it scores you on 16 trait dimensions, such as warmth, reasoning, emotional stability and dominance. It’s a professional instrument used in counseling and some workplace settings.
Strengths-based and workplace tools
CliftonStrengths
Gallup’s CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) ranks 34 “talent themes” such as Achiever, Empathy or Strategic, and focuses on your top themes. It’s not a personality test in the academic sense. It’s designed for personal development and team conversations, and the full assessment is paid.
A note on workplace use
Many of these tests are used by employers, especially in team-building. That’s different from using them to decide who gets hired or promoted. The MBTI’s own publisher says it shouldn’t be used for selection. In general, type-based tools aren’t designed or validated for that purpose. If an assessment is being used to make decisions about people, it should be one validated for that specific use and administered with professional guidance.
Comparison table
| Test | Format | What it describes | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official MBTI | 16 types | Jungian preferences | Paid |
| 16Personalities | 16 types + A/T | Jungian-style preferences plus stress response | Free core test |
| Keirsey Temperament Sorter | 4 temperaments / 16 types | Behavior-focused temperament | Free and paid versions |
| Socionics | 16 types | Jungian types and type relationships | Various, often free |
| Enneagram | 9 types | Core motivations and fears | Free and paid versions |
| DISC | 4 styles | Workplace behavior and communication | Mostly paid |
| Big Five (e.g. IPIP-NEO) | 5 trait scores | Broad personality traits | Free and professional versions |
| HEXACO | 6 trait scores | Broad traits plus Honesty-Humility | Free version available |
| 16PF | 16 trait scores | Detailed trait profile | Paid, professional |
| CliftonStrengths | Ranked 34 themes | Talents and strengths | Paid |
Costs and versions change over time, so check the provider before you take a test.
How to choose
- You want something that feels like the MBTI: try Keirsey or an open Jungian test, and compare the result to your 16Personalities type.
- You want to understand your motivations: try the Enneagram.
- You want the most scientifically supported result: take a Big Five or HEXACO test.
- You want a team or workplace conversation tool: DISC or CliftonStrengths are commonly used, but keep them out of hiring decisions.
Whichever test you choose, treat the result as a starting point for reflection. It isn’t a fixed label.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free version of the MBTI?
The official MBTI is a paid assessment. Free tests like 16Personalities and the Open Extended Jungian Type Scales are separate questionnaires that use similar letters, so they’re best seen as MBTI-style tests, not the MBTI itself.
Is the Enneagram more accurate than the MBTI?
There isn’t strong evidence that either is highly accurate in a scientific sense. Both have limited peer-reviewed support compared with trait models. They describe different things, preferences versus motivations, so many people use them side by side.
Which personality test do psychologists use?
In research, psychologists most often use trait-based measures, particularly Big Five inventories. In clinical settings, they use a range of validated instruments chosen for the specific question they’re trying to answer.