Paid vs. Free IQ Tests: What to Consider and Justifying the Cost

Most people will only go out of their way to do an IQ test for fun, quickly finding a free online test to see how smart they really are. Then there are those who feel they are smarter than the average and want the scores to prove it—the problem is finding a reliable test. When it comes down to it, the most fundamental difference that the average test-taker looks for is whether a test is free or not. If you pay for it, will it be worth the cost, or should you take the first free IQ test you can find?

Paid vs. Free

It is understandably difficult to justify an added cost to an online IQ test, but free tests aren’t likely professional. A paid online IQ test is perhaps more likely to yield accurate results, but you shouldn’t assume as much simply by virtue of having to pay an added fee. Whether you’re taking a free test for fun or hoping for better results with a paid examination, IQ online test reviews are some of the most reliable resources for determining whether an IQ test is worth your time.

Dean Burnett’s Examination of Free Online IQ Tests

In his humorous exploration of free online IQ tests in 2013, journalist Dean Burnett considers five “advanced” tests to determine whether they are a valid means of assessing intelligence. Dean has a PhD in neuroscience, serves as a university lecturer and tutor, and acts as a Guardian science writer. One would expect him to be an intelligent individual, but each test he took placed him at or near genius levels. In one IQ test, he only got four out of the 15 possible questions right but received an estimated IQ of 138, considered gifted with exceptional cognitive abilities.

Dean’s exploration might be a bit dated, but free online IQ tests have hardly advanced beyond giving you what you want to hear. These are largely done for fun and are either weighted to a higher valuation or completely fabricated so that the individual can enjoy a pleasing result.

The best quality IQ test is administered in a clinical setting by qualified professionals and is generally not accepted if administered at a young age. So, is there any online IQ test that will give you real results? During a time when American IQ test scores are on the decline, many people legitimately want to find out if they can buck the trend.

Analyzing Review Boards for Insight Into Paid Online IQ Tests

Paid online IQ test organizations like Cerebrum IQ provide simple and intuitive review boards for their users, with Cerebrum IQ reviews featuring many five-star ratings. Much like with any product you plan to purchase, you must first determine the legitimacy of these reviews. Unreliable or fraudulent organizations often boast countless five-star reviews with hardly any lower ratings. Written reviews will lack criticism, praising the company’s services in a sentence or less. Contrastingly, Cerebrum IQ’s five-star reviews feature minor suggestions for improvement, and the company doesn’t shy away from sharing lower ratings.

A Justified Cost

So, if you want to figure out whether you are smarter than a president of the United States or if you could join Mensa, the High IQ Society, without breaking the bank, a paid online IQ test with good and reliable reviews would be the way to go. A free online IQ test is prone to tell you what you want to hear, while a clinical test has high costs and lasts much longer than the alternative. For an effective and accessible evaluation, consider using a paid online IQ test.