Psychometric tests are standard in most hiring, from graduate schemes to senior appointments. But the market is fairly large and confusing, and for UK talent teams it’s often preferred to have a provider who suits the particulars of the UK market.
We compared the leading psychometric test providers used by UK employers. We looked at assessment quality, protection against AI cheating, candidate experience, fairness and pricing models.
Quick answer
| Provider | Best for | Main assessments | Based in |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHL | Large global enterprises | Ability tests, personality (OPQ), job simulations | UK / global |
| Test Partnership | AI-resistant testing and high-volume UK hiring | Ability, personality, game-based, skills tests | UK |
| Talogy | Full-service assessment programmes | Ability, personality, assessment centres | Global |
| Hogan Assessments | Leadership selection and development | Personality, derailers, values | US / global |
| Pearson TalentLens | Critical thinking (especially law) | Watson-Glaser critical thinking | UK / global |
How we chose
We assessed each provider against six criteria that matter to UK employers in 2027:
- Predictive validity. Is there evidence the assessments predict job performance?
- AI resistance. How well do the tests hold up when candidates have access to AI tools?
- Fairness and accessibility. Support for reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010, and monitoring of adverse impact.
- Candidate experience. Mobile-friendly, engaging, and reasonable in length.
- Ease of use. Setup, reporting and integration with applicant tracking systems.
- Pricing model. How transparent and predictable the costs are.
1. SHL
Best for: large global enterprises
SHL is the longest-established name in workplace assessment and is used by many of the world’s largest employers. Its range covers ability tests (Verify), the OPQ personality questionnaire, coding assessments and job simulations, backed by large international norm groups.
Strengths
- Very broad assessment library
- Extensive global norms and language coverage
- Suited to complex, multi-country hiring programmes
Considerations
- Can be more than a mid-sized UK employer needs
- Enterprise-style buying process and pricing
2. Test Partnership
Best for: AI-resistant testing and high-volume UK hiring
Test Partnership is a UK-based provider of ability, personality, and game-based assessments. It stands out for its focus on AI resistance. Its assessments are designed to stay valid when candidates have access to generative AI, and the platform includes anti-cheating features. That is an increasingly important difference now that AI tools are so readily available to candidates.
Its range includes numerical, verbal, inductive and critical thinking tests, a personality questionnaire, a leadership profile, game-based assessments. All of it’s assessments are adaptive and follow the latest in psychometric science, with large robust norm groups. It can also build bespoke assessments for specific roles. The platform integrates with applicant tracking systems including Workable, and offers an API.
Strengths
- Strong focus on AI-resistant assessment design
- Game-based options that candidates find engaging, useful for graduate and volume hiring
- UK-based, with support for reasonable adjustments
- Annual plans rather than per-test pricing, which makes costs predictable as volumes grow
Considerations
- A smaller company than SHL or Talogy, so less suited to buyers who want one vendor to run very large multi-country programmes end to end
3. Talogy
Best for: full-service assessment programmes
Talogy was formed in 2022 by bringing several established assessment businesses together. It offers ability tests, personality questionnaires, assessment centre design and consulting, and suits organisations that want a partner to design and run their assessment process.
Strengths
- Strong consulting and assessment-centre capability
- Broad product range
Considerations
- The consulting-led approach can be more than self-serve teams need
4. Hogan Assessments
Best for: leadership selection and development
Hogan is best known for its personality inventories. These cover everyday strengths, “derailers” under pressure, and values. It is widely used for senior hiring, leadership development and coaching, often through accredited partners.
Strengths
- Highly regarded for leadership and development
- Deep research base in personality
Considerations
- Personality-focused, so you’ll need another provider for ability testing
- Interpretation often requires accreditation or a partner
5. Pearson TalentLens
Best for: critical thinking assessment, especially in law
TalentLens publishes the Watson-Glaser critical thinking appraisal, long used by UK law firms for trainee and graduate recruitment.
Strengths
- Well-known, long-established critical thinking test
- Familiar to legal sector recruiters and candidates
Considerations
- Narrower range than all-in-one providers
- Being so well-known means candidates practise it widely, so check how it holds up against preparation and AI
How to choose the right provider
- Hiring at volume (graduates, apprentices, customer service)? Prioritise screening that holds up against AI, engaging candidate experience and predictable pricing. Test Partnership and SHL both suit this.
- Hiring leaders? Combine ability testing with a leadership personality assessment. Hogan, SHL and Test Partnership all offer this.
- Hiring in law? Critical thinking matters most. Watson-Glaser is the traditional choice. Also consider newer, AI-resistant critical thinking tests like Test Partnership’s Signals Critical thinking.
- Need a consulting partner to design a full assessment centre? Talogy and SHL are the strongest fits.
What UK employers should check in 2027
- AI resistance. Ask each provider how its tests perform when candidates use AI tools, and what evidence it has.
- Fairness. Ask how it monitors adverse impact, and how it supports reasonable adjustments such as extra time for dyslexic or neurodivergent candidates.
- Data protection. Confirm UK GDPR compliance and where candidate data is stored.
- Pricing model. Per-test pricing can become expensive as application volumes grow. Plan-based pricing is easier to budget for.
FAQs
What is a psychometric test? A standardised assessment that measures abilities, such as numerical or verbal reasoning, or traits, such as personality, to help predict how someone will perform in a role.
Are psychometric tests legal in the UK? Yes, provided they are relevant to the role, used fairly, and accompanied by reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates under the Equality Act 2010.
Can candidates cheat on psychometric tests using AI? On many traditional online tests, yes. AI tools can answer most question types. This is why AI-resistant assessment design is now a key buying criterion. Providers such as Test Partnership build specifically for it.
Which psychometric tests are best for graduate hiring? A combination of ability tests and an engaging format, such as game-based assessments, works well for high-volume graduate schemes. Make sure the tests hold up against AI.
How much do psychometric tests cost? It varies by provider. Some charge per candidate or per test, others offer annual plans. For high-volume hiring, plan-based pricing is usually more predictable.