23 Best Free Personality Tests You Can Take Online in 2024

Have you ever wondered why you think and behave the way you do? Or why you seem to clash with certain people while effortlessly connecting with others?

The answer may lie in your personality type. And as someone who has always been introspective, I’ve found personality tests to be powerful tools for boosting self-awareness, self-discovery, and growth.

To help you find the best personality test to support your personal and professional growth, I took all 23 of the tests in this guide. I’ll also pass along some expert insights about personality theory.

Table of Contents

• Purpose of Personality Tests
• Types of Personality Tests
• Best Free Personality Tests
• Best Free Personality Tests for Jobs
• Best Free Personality Tests: FAQs

Purpose of Personality Tests

While I’ve always been fascinated by personality theory, I’m not a licensed psychologist. So, I decided to ask several psychologists about how they use personality tests, what their purposes are, and if they have merit in a business and clinical setting.

Kristen Jacobsen, LCPC, founder of Cathartic Space Counseling, explained, “My take on personality tests is that they serve as intriguing tools for sparking self-reflection and conversation, but they must be used judiciously, especially in clinical settings.”

She noted that tests that lack empirical backing have value in environments “like career counseling or personal development, where gaining insight into one's personality and working style can be quite beneficial.”

There’s merit to learning about yourself, and understanding how you work with other people or make decisions can help you and your company find the best fit for your position.

Pros of Personality Tests

• Personality assessments can help us learn about ourselves and others. Jacobsen said, “I've observed clients and students using these insights to better articulate their needs and understandings in relationships, or even to guide possible career paths, which can lead to positive changes in their lives.”
• Personality tests can point us in a direction that aligns with our natural tendencies — helping us navigate our personal and professional lives more effectively. Lincoln Stoller, Ph.D, CHt, CCPCPr, psychotherapist and owner of Mind Strength Balance, shared, “Psychological theories are like road signs, and road signs do not define people. They are directions to reach destinations.”
• Tests like the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) are empirically backed and can be helpful in clinical settings.

Cons of Personality Tests

• Some personality tests, like Big Five, Enneagram, and Human Design, don’t have enough empirical support for use in clinical settings, Jacobsen pointed out.
• Many tests are subject to inherent bias. Stoller explained, “In my experience, most people rationalize a presentation they believe to be self-consistent, but isn’t always objective.”
• Personality assessments only work when the participant is fully honest and self-aware. “Even a standardized test won’t reveal well-fabricated self-inconsistencies. Tests often reveal less than an insightful observer can describe,” Stoller noted.

When I spoke with psychologists about different personality tests, the common theme was that they’re not created equally. Each has their own purpose. For instance, the MMPI is most useful in a clinical setting, while The Schema Questionnaire is best for couples.

Here are the three most common types of personality measures for personal and professional growth.

Myers-Briggs Personality Tests

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is one of the most well-known personality assessments, dating back to the 1940s. Developed by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers, the MBTI was inspired by the work of renowned Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung.

Jung’s theory of psychological types proposed that people experience the world through four principal psychological functions: sensation, intuition, feeling, and thinking. He believed that these functions were expressed through a person’s attitude, which could be either extraverted (outwardly focused) or introverted (inwardly focused).

Building on Jung’s theory of personality, MBTI sorts individuals into 16 distinct personality types based on their preferences across four separate dichotomies: Extroversion (E) versus Introversion (I), Sensing (S) versus Intuition (N), Thinking (T) versus Feeling (F), and Judging (J) versus Perceiving (P).

Personally, I find Jung’s theory to be more accurate than the MBTI types. Instead of assigning a fixed type, his theory suggests that we all use different types of processing methods at various levels. You might use Extraverted Sensing as your dominant way of thinking, while a coworker uses Introverted Intuition. And I’ve found that understanding these cognitive functions can be much more reliable than using a four-letter type, like INFP.

DiSC Personality Tests

DiSC is an acronym that stands for the four main personality traits assessed by the test: Dominance (D), Influence (I), Steadiness (S), and Conscientiousness (C). Mainly used in corporate settings, this test aims to help you understand your communication and behavioral styles, as well as those of your colleagues.

When I took a DiSC test for a past job, it helped our team work more efficiently in the sense that we all knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses. It helped discourage disagreements because we all understood each other on a deeper level — helping us grow and collaborate better as a team.

Emotional Intelligence Tests

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is your ability to recognize, understand, and manage your emotions, as well as the emotions of others. Tests that measure emotional intelligence assess key components, such as self-awareness and regulation, social skills, motivation, and empathy.

Research has shown that emotional intelligence is a significant predictor of success in both personal and professional life. And some studies suggest that EI may be even more important than cognitive intelligence (IQ) when it comes to overall success and well-being.

When taking an EI test, I found value in identifying areas where I could improve — such as active listening and stress management.

1. 16 Personalities

Best for: Learning how your personality type impacts your relationships and other areas of your life.

After taking the 16 Personalities test, I felt the assessment was extremely accurate for my personality type. While the test uses the MBTI typing system and Barnum statements (general statements that apply to most people), I believe there’s value in taking it.

The 16 Personalities test is extensive, showing how your personality type reacts to specific situations.

Pros:

• The test provides insights into work habits, friendships, and romantic and familial relationships.
• It highlights several strengths and weaknesses across your career, friendships, family, and personal life.

Con:

• It can be difficult and time-consuming to decide where you fall between the seven options from “Agree” to “Disagree” for each question. Offering fewer options would make the test easier to complete.

2. Personality Perfect

Best for: Gaining insights into how others perceive you and identifying your core values.

The Personality Perfect test is fast and easy, only taking a few minutes to complete. The results include a personality description with specific traits.

Like the 16 Personalities test, it uses the MBTI framework. One of my favorite features of Personality Perfect is its focus on how others might perceive and interpret your behaviors. It allowed me to take a moment and think about myself from a third-person perspective and identify weaknesses from past experiences.

For instance, I’m often hesitant to participate in small talk and prefer to skip to deeper levels of conversation. But small talk is the foundation of conversation, and it’s not always in my best interest to skip it.

Pros:

• The test is short but accurate.
• It offers valuable information on how your personality influences your communication style, decision-making process, and interpersonal dynamics.

Cons:

• Some of the content is behind a $5 paywall, and the results are quite brief unless you want to pay for more details.
• Although I received the same MBTI type with this test, the psychologists I spoke with say this type of test is unscientific because you can get varying results.

3. Testcolor

Best for: Quickly assessing your personality traits and learning about your emotional intelligence, creativity, and work style.

Unlike other tests that rely on lengthy questionnaires, Testcolor simply asks you to select the colors you like most and least from a provided set. The test, which has been validated by a team of clinical psychologists, psychoanalysts, and mathematicians, uses your color preferences to determine various aspects of your personality, such as intelligence and communication styles.

The test results were surprisingly accurate despite there only being two questions. It nailed how I act in group settings and communicate with others.

Pros:

• Testcolor is incredibly quick and easy to complete, taking only about five minutes.
• The visual nature of the test makes it an engaging and fun experience while still providing valuable insights.

Cons:

• Due to its brevity, the results are relatively general and don't provide in-depth analysis.
• Testcolor doesn't differentiate between your personality in various contexts, such as work versus personal relationships.

4. Interpersonal Skills Assessment

Best for: Identifying your strengths and weaknesses in verbal communication.

What I found most useful about the Interpersonal Skills Assessment was that the results provided me with a 1 to 100 score for each of my interpersonal skills. The test measures listening skills, emotional intelligence, verbal communication, and communicating in groups.

However, like most of the tests on this list, you can only benefit from the results if you’re honest. So, assess yourself from a third-person perspective, or perhaps have a close friend or family member help you with answers.

Pro:

• The unique results can show you your exact strengths and weaknesses in several forms of verbal communication.

Cons:

• The test only focuses on your verbal communication skills.
• It doesn’t apply these skills to different situations, such as the workplace, relationships, or friendships.

5. Big Five Personality Test

Best for: Evaluating your self-awareness and understanding how you relate to others.

The Big Five Personality Test is a well-respected and widely used assessment measuring five dimensions of personality: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (OCEAN). This test is known for its scientific basis and its ability to predict various life outcomes and preferences, such as conscientiousness influencing someone’s workplace success.

Measuring my Big Five personality traits was enlightening. While the results were sort of similar to other tests I’ve taken, I was able to look at myself through a new lens because of the specific traits incorporated into the test.

For instance, my MBTI type told me I was self-aware and diligent, but there wasn’t a scale. Big Five said I’m extremely high in conscientiousness — and I didn’t realize how involved conscientiousness is in my personality when it comes to goal setting, empathy, and even well-being.

Pros:

• It’s one of the most accurate personality tests, but is still simple and straight-forward.
• The test also allows you to compare your results with friends or colleagues, fostering discussions and building stronger connections.

Cons:

• The test isn’t specific to the workplace or relationships, so the results are only about you.
• A more in-depth analysis of the scoring system beyond simple high versus low rankings would enhance the overall value of the results.

6. Enneagram

Best for: Learning about your core motivations and how your personality affects your relationships.

The Enneagram test categorizes you into one of nine interconnected personality types. Each type is associated with a core motivation, fear, and worldview, making this a valuable tool for self-discovery, personal growth, and understanding interpersonal dynamics. You’re then provided with “wings” or other components to your primary number.

I found Enneagram useful when combining it with the MBTI typing system. I was able to see my desires and fears through the Enneagram and how those are projected through my MBTI type.

Pros:

• It emphasizes self-identification, so if you think you match another number on the scale, you’re encouraged to explore it.
• This test digs deeper into your core motivations and fears.

Con:

• Some of these interpretations may resonate with you more than others, which can lead to confusion or a sense that the results are less reliable.

7. True Colours Test

Best for: Gaining a new perspective on how others see you and how you see yourself.

The True Colours Test categorizes individuals into four color-based personality types: Orange, Gold, Blue, and Green. Each color represents a set of traits, values, and preferences.

I was impressed by the engaging questions and the flexibility in answering. Unlike some other tests that force you to choose between two extremes, True Colours allows you to select “mostly” for a more accurate representation of your personality. That way, you’re not confused about which answer you should select.

Pro:

• The results provide a concise yet informative summary of your dominant personality type, serving as an excellent starting point for further self-exploration.

Cons:

• The results are relatively broad and may require additional research to fully understand the implications of your color type.
• It’s not an all-inclusive test and doesn’t get too specific.

8. Berkeley Emotional Intelligence

Best for: Assessing your ability to recognize and interpret emotions in others.

The Berkeley Emotional Intelligence test was by far the most fun for me to take, given that it’s more like a quiz. The test gives you 20 faces, and you need to guess which emotion the face is portraying based on four options.

Pro:

• Guessing people’s emotional state based on facial expressions is a scientifically proven way to measure emotional intelligence.

Cons:

• The test is only 20 questions, which may not be an accurate sample size.
• The facial expressions shown are often exaggerated, making it either easier or harder depending on how much thought you put into each answer.

9. Character Strengths Survey

Best for: Identifying your top character strengths and exploring how to leverage them in your personal and professional life.

The Character Strengths Survey, developed by positive psychology researchers, assesses 24 character strengths that are universally valued across cultures. These strengths include traits such as creativity, honesty, leadership, and forgiveness.

Taking this survey was a refreshing experience, as it focused on identifying and celebrating my positive qualities rather than highlighting areas for improvement.

Pros:

• The test focuses on the positives.
• If you’re honest, you’ll be able to see which traits you can leverage at work and in your personal life.

Con:

• While the test questions are thought-provoking, the results could benefit from more detailed explanations and guidance on how to apply your strengths in different contexts.

10. Sociotype

Best for: Individuals seeking a fresh perspective on their personality and communication style that’s different from other personality tests.

I appreciated the unique phrasing of the questions in the Sociotype test, which encouraged me to think deeply about my preferences and tendencies. The results provided a detailed analysis of my communication style and thought processes.

You might find the results similar to an MBTI test, but that’s because Sociotype is based on Jung’s personality theory of cognitive functions — the basis for MBTI. If you’ve taken several MBTI tests, you’ll enjoy Sociotype’s unique take and different insights.

Pros:

• The test has thought-provoking questions using a hyper-accurate slider to determine your level of agreement.
• It’s thorough, leaving no stone unturned.

Con:

• The complexity of the test might make someone lose focus and not think deeply about each answer, leading to skewed results.

11. Verywell Mind

Best for: A quick and easy assessment of your emotional intelligence.

Verywell Mind offers a short, 10-question emotional intelligence test that provides instant feedback. While it may not be as comprehensive as other assessments, it's a great option for a rapid check-in on your emotional awareness.

The questions are straightforward and explore different scenarios, from dealing with children to handling mishaps at work.

Pro:

• The test is quick, fun, and easy.

Con:

• It may not be accurate because of its brevity. However, the results I received were in line with other tests.

12. Empathy Quotient

Best for: Gaining a deeper understanding of your empathy levels and identifying areas for improvement.

The Empathy Quotient (EQ) is a 60-item questionnaire developed by Simon Baron-Cohen at the University of Cambridge’s Autism Research Centre. It measures empathy using the same emotional assessment tools used by mental health professionals to diagnose social impairments.

I used the EQ test to gauge my overall emotional intelligence, empathy, and general social cues. While the result was only a numerical score, it still helped me understand that I have a lot of progress to make. And having a simple score from 1 to 80 makes it easy to measure progress.

Pros:

• The EQ is a scientifically validated assessment tool, meaning your results are reliable and meaningful (as long as you’re truthful).
• It’s different from other tests because it only focuses on how you interact with other people and how you think about specific situations.

Cons:

• You need to have a certain level of self-awareness for this test to be accurate.
• The results are simply a score out of 80, with 30 and above meaning you’re likely not on the autism spectrum.

13. Clearer Thinking

Best for: Getting a combination of MBTI, Big Five, and Enneagram types.

The Clearer Thinking test combines several major personality assessments. It gives you a seven-page report detailing each component of your personality and how you rank against other people.

For me, comparing my agreeableness against other people was intriguing, as I didn’t realize where I stood among the general population.

Pro:

• It offers a great holistic personality overview without taking multiple tests.

Con:

• The test combines several personality models into one assessment, so there are varying degrees of accuracy.

Best Free Personality Tests for Jobs

14. Humanmetrics

Best for: Exploring career paths that align with your personality type.

Humanmetrics offers a Jung Typology Test that determines your MBTI personality profile.

I found the career advice section especially helpful, as it went into detail not found in other tests. The test also explores how you work in a corporate environment with other types and how your specific personality learns best.

Pros:

• All 64 questions are on a single screen, making it easy to review and change your answers if needed.
• It offers several types of insights pertaining to your career and personality.

Cons:

• Some questions may feel situation-dependent.
• Your answers could vary based on your current mood or circumstances — as is the case with MBTI tests. It’s normal to get different results at different points in your life.

15. Crystal

Best for: Understanding how your personality affects your work relationships and communication style.

Crystal offers a free DiSC assessment that provides insights into your work style, communication preferences, and potential compatibility with colleagues. It can help you improve collaboration, reduce conflicts, and build stronger professional relationships.

The Crystal DiSC assessment helped me measure Dominance, Influence, Conscientiousness, and Steadiness. For instance, I’m high in Conscientiousness but low in Dominance — so I’m hyper-aware but don’t always make my opinion known. In the future, I’ll use this assessment to speak up when a project could go wrong.

Pros:

• It offers immediate insights into your work style and interpersonal dynamics.
• The test allows you to view your colleagues‘ personality profiles (if they’ve completed the assessment).

Con:

• While the DiSC framework is widely used in corporate settings, the experts I spoke with say there is limited research on its ability to predict job performance.

16. CareerHunter

Best for: Determining your work personality type.

With CareerHunter’s Work Personality test, you can identify how you work, your strengths and weaknesses, and your preferred work style. I liked how this test has you organize different statements in order of importance, which is different from other tests.

It includes 290 work-related statements describing various thoughts, behaviors, feelings, and attitudes, such as “I like coordinating the work of others” and “I feel comfortable expressing my thoughts openly.” Plus, the website offers four other tests about potential career paths, career motivators, interests, and reasoning.

Pros:

• The CareerHunter test interface is engaging and user-friendly, with an easy-to-interpret results report.
• When combined with the platform's other assessments, it can provide a well-rounded evaluation of your career fit.

Con:

• While the basic results are free, accessing the full 35-page report and other premium features requires payment.

17. HEXACO

Best for: Gaining an academic perspective on your personality traits and their implications for your career.

The HEXACO personality inventory is a widely used assessment in academic research, offering a six-dimensional model of personality: Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience.

Taking the HEXACO test felt like participating in a scientific study. The questions were thought-provoking, and the results measured my responses against the average test-taker.

Pros:

• The HEXACO model offers a scientifically validated perspective on your personality.
• The results include a percentile ranking, allowing you to see how you compare to others in each trait.

Cons:

• The test's academic language and focus on comparison to a sample group (primarily Canadian university students) may not resonate with everyone.
• The results may require additional interpretation to apply them to your career.

18. IPIP-NEO

Best for: Assessing your personality traits in relation to your career and comparing yourself to others in your age group.

The International Personality Item Pool Representation of the NEO PI-R (IPIP-NEO) is a free, open-source alternative to the well-known NEO PI-R personality assessment. It measures a five-factor model (FFM) of personality factors: Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness.

While I found the results to be similar to the Big Five test, it was fascinating to see how I compared to others in my age demographic — something uncommon on these tests.

Pros:

• The IPIP-NEO is a well-established assessment used in both psychometric research and applied settings.
• The test provides a detailed breakdown of your scores in each domain and compares them to others in your age group.

Cons:

• The test questions can feel repetitive at times, and some may find the agree-disagree format limiting.
• While the results are comprehensive, you might need to reflect further to apply them to your career.

19. Eysenck’s Personality Inventory

Best for: Preparing for potential employment personality testing and understanding your core traits.

Eysenck’s Personality Inventory (EPI) is a 57 “Yes” or “No” question test that helps you identify your temperament. It covers what your temperament is, extraversion/introversion, level of neuroticism (sometimes called “emotional stability”), and even whether you lied on the test.

The questions testing whether I was lying helped keep me accountable. And overall, I felt the test was accurate to who I am as a person.

Pro:

• The EPI is a concise and efficient assessment, making it an excellent choice for quickly gauging your personality type before taking a more comprehensive test for employment purposes.

Cons:

• The binary response format may not capture the nuances of your personality.
• The results may feel overly simplistic, general, or impractical.

20. 123Test

Best for: All-around career, personality, and IQ testing.

123Test has several career tests, including team roles tests, career assessments, work values tests, and personality questionnaires. The DiSC test about how I interact with coworkers was especially helpful, as it analyzed how I perceived other people’s actions — giving me an understanding of how I interpret certain work situations.

Pro:

• The well-rounded, in-depth tests offer distinct results and insights.

Con:

• Depending on your state of mind, your results may vary and could be inaccurate.

21. Truity Career Personality Profiler

Best for: Discovering your ideal career path and identifying the skills needed to succeed.

The Truity Career Personality Profiler is a comprehensive assessment that combines the insights of the Holland Code (RIASEC) and Big Five personality theories. The test measures your interests, preferences, and personality traits to suggest career paths and work environments that align with your natural inclinations.

I found the Truity Career Personality Profiler to be a valuable tool for discovering potential career paths. I also loved that the results gave specific tasks and projects I might enjoy within those fields.

Pros:

• The test provides detailed recommendations and potential skills you may find fulfilling.
• It’s a well-rounded assessment of your career fit, considering both your interests and personality traits.

Cons:

• Some questions may be challenging to answer if you haven't had exposure to certain work environments or tasks.
• The accuracy of the results depends heavily on your self-awareness and honesty.

22. CareerExplorer

Best for: Exploring multiple career paths and finding the best fit for your unique personality and interests.

After taking the CareerExplorer test, I was given several different job options with detailed information about how my personality fit into the work environment and education. I also appreciated the option to compare career opportunities by education, salary, and different types of majors.

Pros:

• The test and results are extremely detailed.
• It only took about 20 minutes to complete.

Con:

• Without direct experience in a field, it’s hard to say you wouldn’t like a specific activity — so the accuracy may not be 100%.

23. PATH Assessment

Best for: Sifting through job applications and finding employee work styles.

With the PATH assessment, you can identify your employees’ (or potential employees’) Purpose, Approach, Thinking, and Habits. It’s an excellent tool for employers to build teams or see how people perceive the work environment.

Pro:

• The PATH assessment is a concise and targeted evaluation of work-related traits, making it an efficient tool for professional development.

Con:

• The short 10-minute test and the potential for dishonesty may skew the results.

Best Free Personality Tests: FAQs

What is the most accurate personality test?

The validity and reliability of personality tests can vary greatly depending on their purpose.

Dr. Craig Beach, CEO and psychiatrist at Open Mind Health, explains, “These tests, while they can be fun, are typically lacking in scientific validity. I personally do not rely on these tests in my practice because the results are pretty ambiguous and can be easily influenced.”

However, tests like the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) are reliable when used for diagnosing mental health issues in a clinical setting.

As psychotherapist Kristen Jacobsen explains, “The MMPI is […] a powerful tool for unraveling complex presentations (like a dual diagnosis) and understanding a client's psychological functioning. I’ve found it particularly useful in contexts involving deeper clinical assessments.”

Jacobsen also occasionally uses the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Big Five tests, noting they “can still offer clients valuable lenses through which to view their behaviors and motivations, thus enriching the therapeutic conversation and helping guide personal development strategies.”

How reliable are personality tests?

Internet personality tests are generally not reliable on a one-time basis — but I’ve found that when you take multiple tests over the course of a few days, you’ll receive similar results more often than not.

However, as Beach points out, “Evidence has shown that these tests do not consistently produce the results or outcomes they claim to produce.” Personality tests rely heavily on self-reports, which can be influenced by the test-taker’s self-perception and desire to present themselves a certain way.

What are personality tests used for?

Personality tests are often used for:

• Job applications.
• Team building.
• Understanding yourself.
• Entertainment.

As someone who’s taken tens of personality tests over the years, the biggest value is understanding how others perceive you. It’s not something that most of us are aware of, and being assigned a type can give you insight into what people think — and how you can (potentially) change it.

How to pass personality tests for jobs?

When taking a personality test as part of your job search, it's essential to be authentic and honest in your responses. There is no “right” or “wrong” personality type for most positions.

Employers use these tests to better understand your traits, motivations, and potential fit within their organization. Trying to manipulate your answers to fit a perceived ideal may result in a role that doesn't align with your true self, leading to job dissatisfaction and poor performance.

How should you prepare for a personality test?

I recommend trying an online personality test so you can familiarize yourself with the types of questions. And remember to be honest with your answers. That’s the only way you’ll get an accurate representation of who you are.

What should you remember while taking personality tests?

My mind can start to drift when taking a long personality test. So take a break if you need to, and return to the test — there aren’t any time limits.

Additionally, remember to really think about each answer. If you’re unsure, try imagining yourself from a third-person point of view. It might help you be more accurate.

Why are personality tests important?

Personality tests allow you and organizations to better understand your core motivations, fears, and habits. By taking these into account, you can highlight areas for improvement as well as your strengths, allowing you to grow more successful personally and professionally.

Take a Quick Personality Test Today for Personal and Professional Growth

If you’ve ever felt misunderstood, taking a personality test can help you see yourself from another perspective. It's a way to satisfy your curiosity about yourself and how others you care about may see you.

While you may not be able to take a clinically accepted test like the MMPI or the Schema Questionnaire, these online assessments let you see yourself from a different perspective. They help you think about yourself in different ways and highlight your strengths and weaknesses, giving you the option to grow. And for me, that’s extremely valuable.

Each test only takes a few minutes, and you might learn something you never expected to uncover.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in September 2023 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.