Aptitude Test Publishers

The companies behind the aptitude tests you will sit, and how to prepare for each one.

What is an aptitude test publisher?

An aptitude test publisher is a company that designs and licenses the psychometric tests employers use to screen candidates. The best known are SHL, Kenexa, Saville Assessment and Talent Q.

The publisher writes the questions, sets the time limits and builds the norm group your score is compared against, then licenses the finished test to employers, who usually rebrand it. That is why two companies in different industries can send you what is in effect the same test, and why the invitation email often names the publisher rather than the employer. If it does, the publisher’s page here is the one to practise from.

Which test publishers do employers use most?

SHL is the most widely used aptitude test publisher, followed by Kenexa, Saville and Talent Q. The practice you need depends on which publisher’s test the employer has asked you to take.

Publishers differ more than their names suggest. SHL’s Verify tests are the classic timed numerical and verbal formats. Saville’s Swift tests pack several question types into one short sitting. Talent Q’s tests are adaptive, so the questions get harder as you answer correctly. Watson Glaser tests critical thinking rather than arithmetic, and Cappfinity and Arctic Shores lean on strengths and game-based tasks. Practising the right one means practising the format you will actually meet.

Aptitude Test Publishers FAQs

The questions candidates ask us most often

How do I know which test publisher an employer uses?

Your invitation email usually names the test or the publisher. If it does not, the employer’s careers page or the role description often reveals whether they use SHL, Kenexa, Saville or another provider.

Does it matter which publisher's test I practise?

Yes. The reasoning is the same whoever wrote the test, but the timing, the wording of the questions and the answer formats differ between providers. Practising the right format means nothing on the day is a surprise except the questions themselves.

Is the publisher's test the same as the employer's test?

The questions are the publisher’s; the assessment is the employer’s. A company licenses a test, chooses which parts of it to set and decides what score is good enough, so two employers using the same publisher can still run very different assessments.

What if my invitation does not name a publisher?

Practise the core question types first, numerical, verbal and logical reasoning, since almost every provider builds on them. Once you see the test’s layout and timing you can usually recognise the publisher and narrow your practice to its format.

Start practising today

Take a free test in any format, then upgrade when you know which one you need.

Take a free test See the plans