TraitLab Pro vs. 16Personalities: Depth vs. Familiarity
Most people on your team have probably already taken the 16Personalities test. It is free, fast, and fun — and that familiarity is a real advantage when you are trying to get buy-in for a team personality exercise. The question is whether those four-letter type labels give you enough to work with. TraitLab Pro costs more and takes longer, but a single assessment covers six validated frameworks — Big Five traits, strengths, working style, interpersonal style, Jungian typology, and Enneagram — measured on continuous dimensions rather than binary categories. The core tradeoff: recognition and price versus scientific depth and breadth.
Quick Verdict
Choose TraitLab Pro if you need research-validated, multi-dimensional personality data for coaching or development conversations that go beyond type labels.
Choose 16Personalities if you want a low-cost, quick team icebreaker that everyone already recognizes and nobody will push back on taking.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Assessment
| TraitLab Pro | 16Personalities | |
|---|---|---|
| Personality Model | Big Five + established frameworks (Enneagram, Jungian, RIASEC) | NERIS Type Explorer — hybrid of Myers-Briggs four-letter types + a fifth Big Five-derived dimension (Assertive/Turbulent) |
| Traits/Dimensions Measured | Customizable: Personality Traits, Strengths, Working Style, Interpersonal Style, Jungian Typology, Enneagram Typology | Five spectrums (I/E, N/S, T/F, J/P, A/T) producing 16 types with an assertive/turbulent modifier |
| Scientific Basis | Peer-reviewed, research-validated instruments | Proprietary model loosely adapted from MBTI and Big Five; not independently validated in peer-reviewed research |
| Customizability | Mix-and-match assessment areas; compact 20-min option | Fixed assessment; no customization of what is measured |
Personality Model
TraitLab Pro
Big Five + established frameworks (Enneagram, Jungian, RIASEC)
16Personalities
NERIS Type Explorer — hybrid of Myers-Briggs four-letter types + a fifth Big Five-derived dimension (Assertive/Turbulent)
Traits/Dimensions Measured
TraitLab Pro
Customizable: Personality Traits, Strengths, Working Style, Interpersonal Style, Jungian Typology, Enneagram Typology
16Personalities
Five spectrums (I/E, N/S, T/F, J/P, A/T) producing 16 types with an assertive/turbulent modifier
Scientific Basis
TraitLab Pro
Peer-reviewed, research-validated instruments
16Personalities
Proprietary model loosely adapted from MBTI and Big Five; not independently validated in peer-reviewed research
Customizability
TraitLab Pro
Mix-and-match assessment areas; compact 20-min option
16Personalities
Fixed assessment; no customization of what is measured
Implementation
| TraitLab Pro | 16Personalities | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup Model | Fully self-serve; free account creation | Fully self-serve for both Teams and Professionals products |
| Certification/Training Required | None | None |
| Time to First Assessment | Minutes (sign up, purchase credits, send link) | Minutes (sign up, purchase credits or subscription, invite members) |
| ATS/HR System Integration | No | No |
| Scalability | Any scale; credit-based, no minimums | Teams: per-member subscription; Professionals: credit-based, no minimums |
Setup Model
TraitLab Pro
Fully self-serve; free account creation
16Personalities
Fully self-serve for both Teams and Professionals products
Certification/Training Required
TraitLab Pro
None
16Personalities
None
Time to First Assessment
TraitLab Pro
Minutes (sign up, purchase credits, send link)
16Personalities
Minutes (sign up, purchase credits or subscription, invite members)
ATS/HR System Integration
TraitLab Pro
No
16Personalities
No
Scalability
TraitLab Pro
Any scale; credit-based, no minimums
16Personalities
Teams: per-member subscription; Professionals: credit-based, no minimums
User Experience
| TraitLab Pro | 16Personalities | |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment Duration | 10-60 min (customizable); 20 min compact option | ~10 min core test; additional team and personal growth assessments for Teams product |
| Device Support | Mobile and desktop | Mobile and desktop |
| Question Format | Short multiple choice | Not specified; online questionnaire |
| Results Delivery | Instant, digital, self-serve for both test taker and admin | Instant digital access for Professionals; Teams receive reports plus self-directed workshops |
| Admin Portal | Yes — view, compare, manage all results | Teams: web portal for team building and reports; Professionals: credit management and link sharing |
Assessment Duration
TraitLab Pro
10-60 min (customizable); 20 min compact option
16Personalities
~10 min core test; additional team and personal growth assessments for Teams product
Device Support
TraitLab Pro
Mobile and desktop
16Personalities
Mobile and desktop
Question Format
TraitLab Pro
Short multiple choice
16Personalities
Not specified; online questionnaire
Results Delivery
TraitLab Pro
Instant, digital, self-serve for both test taker and admin
16Personalities
Instant digital access for Professionals; Teams receive reports plus self-directed workshops
Admin Portal
TraitLab Pro
Yes — view, compare, manage all results
16Personalities
Teams: web portal for team building and reports; Professionals: credit management and link sharing
Pricing
| TraitLab Pro | 16Personalities | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Per-assessment credits; transparent, published pricing | Teams: $9/member/month subscription; Professionals: $9/credit |
| Entry Price | $49/assessment (1 credit) | $9/member/month (Teams) or $9/credit (Professionals) |
| Volume Price | $24/assessment (100+ credits) | Volume discounts on 100+ credits (Professionals) |
| Annual Minimums/Subscriptions | None | Teams requires ongoing monthly subscription |
| Hidden Costs | None | None apparent |
| Free Tier/Trial | Free account; credits required for assessments | Free consumer personality test available; B2B products require payment |
Pricing Model
TraitLab Pro
Per-assessment credits; transparent, published pricing
16Personalities
Teams: $9/member/month subscription; Professionals: $9/credit
Entry Price
TraitLab Pro
$49/assessment (1 credit)
16Personalities
$9/member/month (Teams) or $9/credit (Professionals)
Volume Price
TraitLab Pro
$24/assessment (100+ credits)
16Personalities
Volume discounts on 100+ credits (Professionals)
Annual Minimums/Subscriptions
TraitLab Pro
None
16Personalities
Teams requires ongoing monthly subscription
Hidden Costs
TraitLab Pro
None
16Personalities
None apparent
Free Tier/Trial
TraitLab Pro
Free account; credits required for assessments
16Personalities
Free consumer personality test available; B2B products require payment
Use Case Fit
| TraitLab Pro | 16Personalities | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-employment Screening & Hiring | Not supported | Not supported |
| Employee Development & Team Building | Primary | Primary (Teams product with workshops) |
| Leadership Development & Succession Planning | Secondary | Not supported |
| Coaching & Professional Development | Primary | Primary (Professionals product) |
Pre-employment Screening & Hiring
TraitLab Pro
Not supported
16Personalities
Not supported
Employee Development & Team Building
TraitLab Pro
Primary
16Personalities
Primary (Teams product with workshops)
Leadership Development & Succession Planning
TraitLab Pro
Secondary
16Personalities
Not supported
Coaching & Professional Development
TraitLab Pro
Primary
16Personalities
Primary (Professionals product)
Key Differences
16Personalities's Advantages
-
Significantly lower per-assessment cost ($9 vs. $24-49)
-
Massive consumer brand recognition — many employees will have already taken the free test
-
Built-in self-directed team workshops included in the Teams product
-
Shorter core assessment (~10 min)
TraitLab Pro's Advantages
-
Scientifically validated Big Five model vs. a proprietary hybrid type system without independent peer-reviewed validation
-
Far greater assessment depth and customizability — six assessment areas vs. one fixed assessment
-
Measures traits on continuous dimensions rather than forcing categorical types, providing more nuanced and actionable results
-
Covers Enneagram, Jungian typology, career interests, and strengths in addition to personality traits
16Personalities
Strengths
-
Extremely low price point and simple self-serve setup make it easy to adopt
-
Strong brand awareness from the free consumer test reduces friction in getting team buy-in
-
Teams product includes structured workshops that help translate results into team actions
Weaknesses
-
The NERIS model is proprietary and not independently validated in peer-reviewed research, which may be a concern for organizations seeking scientific rigor
-
Type-based system forces people into categories, missing the nuance of dimensional trait measurement
-
Limited assessment scope — measures only one personality framework with no customization options
-
Monthly subscription model for Teams means ongoing cost even when not actively assessing
The Bottom Line
16Personalities wins on price ($9 vs. $24-49), speed (~10 min vs. 20-60 min), and brand recognition. If your goal is a lightweight team exercise or conversation starter, it is hard to beat. TraitLab Pro wins when you need personality data you can actually build on — continuous trait scores across six frameworks, grounded in the Big Five rather than a proprietary type system without independent peer-reviewed validation. For coaches, HR professionals, and team leads doing real development work, the additional depth justifies the higher price.
See What TraitLab Pro Measures
Six validated personality frameworks from a single 20-minute assessment. No certification required.