Updated April 2026 · Unbiased breakdown of what each platform actually does
SHL's own official practice tests, available at shl.com/shldirect. These are free practice questions provided directly by SHL to help candidates familiarise themselves with the test format before taking a real SHL assessment. They are not a paid preparation service — they are official sample questions released by the test publisher.
TestSolve is an AI-powered aptitude test solver. You take your real assessment, press F8 on any question, and receive the answer on your phone in a few seconds. TestSolve does not require you to study or practise beforehand — it solves questions in real time during your actual test.
SHL Practice Tests (Official) is a practice test platform. You pay for access to a library of mock tests designed to help you improve your skills before test day. You study, practise, and hope that the practice transfers to your actual performance. SHL Practice Tests (Official) has no role on the day of the actual test.
| Feature | TestSolve | SHL Practice Tests (Official) |
|---|---|---|
| Works during your actual test | ✓ Yes — real-time answers | ✗ No — sample questions only |
| Cost | Free tier available · From $14.99 for 30 questions | ✓ Completely free |
| Covers all SHL test types | ✓ Verify, Interactive, OPQ, SJT | Partial — sample questions per type |
| Adaptive format practice | ✓ Handles Interactive format | Partial — basic samples only |
| Explanations and feedback | AI solution walkthrough | Basic — answers only |
| SHL Verify Interactive (drag-drop) | ✓ Full support | ✗ Not fully replicated in samples |
| OPQ personality insights | ✗ Not covered | ✓ Free OPQ example questions |
| Real employer scoring context | ✓ Benchmarks included | ✗ No employer-specific context |
| Number of practice questions | Unlimited (paid tier) | ~20–30 sample questions per type |
| Mobile-first | ✓ Answers to your phone | ✗ Desktop only |
| TestSolve | SHL Practice Tests (Official) | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes — free solve, no card required | Yes — completely free, no registration required |
| Paid plan | From $14.99 for 30 questions · no subscription | N/A — free service only |
| Per-test pricing | Per-question pricing · no subscription | N/A — free |
Official source: SHL's own practice materials are as close as you can get to the real test format without taking the test itself. They are guaranteed to accurately represent SHL's question style, instructions, and interface — because they are from SHL.
Completely free: No registration, no payment, no email required. Visit SHL Direct, select a test type, and begin immediately. This is unmatched for accessibility.
OPQ personality example: SHL provides a free OPQ example with sample questions — useful for understanding the format of SHL's personality questionnaire before you face it in a real assessment.
Very limited question banks: SHL's official samples contain only 20–30 questions per test type. This is enough to understand the format, but not enough to build significant speed or accuracy improvement.
No employer-specific context: SHL's practice materials do not tell you which percentile score Barclays requires, or how KPMG weights deductive reasoning relative to numerical. TestSolve's employer pages include this context.
No interactive format simulation: SHL Verify Interactive — the drag-and-drop adaptive version — is not fully replicated in SHL's free samples. Candidates who take the interactive test having only practised the standard format are frequently surprised.
No test-day capability: SHL's practice materials cannot help you during the actual SHL assessment. TestSolve solves any SHL question in real time.
Use SHL's official practice materials before taking any SHL test — they're free, accurate, and quick. But 20–30 sample questions won't move the needle significantly on your score. For candidates who want meaningful improvement, combine SHL's format familiarisation with either dedicated preparation (JobTestPrep, GraduatesFirst) or real-time test-day support (TestSolve).
For candidates who want to improve their aptitude test skills over time — who have weeks to prepare and genuinely enjoy sharpening their quantitative reasoning — SHL Practice Tests (Official) is a legitimate option. For candidates who have an assessment coming up in 24–72 hours, or who simply want to maximise their score on the day rather than rely on uncertain practice transfer, TestSolve is the more direct solution. Many candidates use both: practice with SHL Practice Tests (Official) to build familiarity with question formats, and use TestSolve during the actual test to ensure correct answers.
SHL official practice tests help you understand the interface and timing. TestSolve bridges the gap by providing real-time answers during your actual SHL assessment.
Same format and interface, but different questions. TestSolve works on both practice and real SHL tests.
Yes. TestSolve supports both standard SHL Verify and the newer Interactive format.
We recommend at least one practice run to understand the format. Then use TestSolve on the real test.
If you want a shortcut: TestSolve reads each test question on your screen and sends the answer to your phone in about 5 seconds. Free first solve, no signup. Pricing.