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The VIA strengths test: what to expect

Updated

The VIA Survey is free, has 96 questions and takes about 10 to 15 minutes. You get all 24 character strengths ranked, from most to least like you; in-depth reports are paid. The VIA Institute says nearly 35 million people have taken it.

The facts

The VIA Survey, from the VIA Institute's own pages (read November 9, 2026)
AdultsYouth
Questions9698 in English, 96 in other languages
Time10 to 15 minutesAbout 10 minutes
AgesAdults8 to 17
PriceFree (in-depth reports paid)Free

What your results mean

  • The top of your list is where your signature strengths are: researchers used the top five.
  • The bottom is not a list of flaws. The survey ranks your own 24 strengths against each other; the last ones are simply the ones you use least.
  • The names come from the 24 character strengths classified by Peterson and Seligman in 2004 (the full list).

Its limit: it's your own view

The survey asks you about yourself. That's ideal for inner traits, and weaker for traits we care about: in Vazire's 2010 study of 165 people, friends judged intelligence and creativity better than people judged themselves. Ask a few friends which strengths they see, with one moment each, and compare.

The survey and your friends: two views
VIA SurveyAsking friends
Who answersYouThree to five people who know you
Time10 to 15 minutesA few days for answers to come in
What you learnHow you see yourselfHow you come across, with real moments

Add a friend's first name and get a link to text them. Each friend shares a moment, no app or sign-up. You see the strengths that come back. Free.

Ask my friends

Questions

Is the VIA test free?

Yes. The VIA Survey is free on the VIA Institute's site. In-depth reports are paid.

How long is the VIA test?

96 questions for adults, about 10 to 15 minutes. The youth survey, for ages 8 to 17, has 98 questions in English and takes about 10 minutes.

How accurate is the VIA test?

It measures how you see your own strengths. Research shows friends judge some traits, like intelligence and creativity, better than we do, so compare your results with what your friends see.

Sources