September 28, 2026 · AxonCPT Team · CPT, ADHD assessment, clinical practice

TOVA vs. Conners CPT 3: Differences for Clinicians

T.O.V.A. 9 and Conners CPT 3 are the two continuous performance tests (CPTs) clinicians compare most often, and the choice usually comes down to three things: whether you need an auditory modality, whether your patients can test remotely, and how each product’s evidence base holds up as a standalone measure. This guide lines up the published facts on both, plus what the research says about each one’s diagnostic accuracy.

Clinician working on a laptop in her office while comparing ADHD assessment tools Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Disclosure: AxonCPT publishes this comparison and makes a competing remote CPT, described near the end of this article. T.O.V.A. is a product of The TOVA Company; Conners CPT 3 is a product of Multi-Health Systems (MHS). This article is not affiliated with or endorsed by either company. Facts below are vendor-published, accessed September 27, 2026 unless noted; verify current specifications and pricing before purchasing.

TOVA vs. Conners CPT 3 at a glance

T.O.V.A. 9 Conners CPT 3 Online
Modality Visual and auditory (separate tests) [1] Visual only [4]
Setting In-clinic; no remote option found on the vendor site [1] Local or remote (remote applies to standalone CPT 3, not K-CPT 2 or CATA) [4]
Hardware Proprietary USB device and microswitch; Windows or Mac PC; not compatible with Chromebooks, iPads, or Android [2][3] Web app on MHS’s MAC+ platform; no special hardware [4]
Test length 21.6 min per modality (10.8 min visual test for ages 4–5.5) [1] 14 min [4]
Ages (vendor) Visual 4–80+; auditory 6–29 [1] 8+ [4]
Response accuracy Vendor describes the microswitch as “highly accurate (±1 ms)” [1] Not stated on pages reviewed
FDA 510(k) K170082 (2017), K173915 (2018); product code LQD [7] No clearance claim found; no openFDA record [7]
Published price $1,095 system (includes 5 test credits) + $15/credit [5] $10 per use, minimum purchase of 15 uses ($150) [4]
Billing codes stated by vendor None found None found

The modality difference matters most

T.O.V.A. is the only one of the two that publishes a separate auditory CPT (ages 6–29), alongside its visual test (ages 4–80+) [1]. Conners CPT 3 is a visual-only task; MHS’s suite includes a separate auditory/visual attention test, the CATA, but that product is local-administration only per MHS’s materials, not part of the remote CPT 3 [4]. If an auditory attention measure matters for a specific case — for example, distinguishing attention problems that are modality-specific — T.O.V.A. and, among other vendors, IVA-2, are the CPTs that publish one. See our full lineup in CPT tests compared: TOVA, Conners CPT 3, QbCheck, IVA-2.

Hardware and setting

T.O.V.A. requires its own USB device and microswitch connected to a Windows or Mac computer; the vendor states it isn’t compatible with Chromebooks, iPads, or Android devices, and we found no remote administration option on the vendor’s pages [1][2]. That means every T.O.V.A. test is an in-person visit, which is a real cost for a telehealth-heavy practice. For a full accounting, see TOVA test cost for clinicians.

Conners CPT 3 Online runs in a browser on MHS’s MAC+ platform, with no dedicated hardware [4]. MHS discontinued its older USB-based software and moved the suite online, and states that remote administration is supported for the standalone CPT 3 [4]. MHS also says its validation work “supports continued use of existing in-person norms” for the online administration, though that equivalence study is described in the product manual rather than published in full on the public blog, so ask MHS for the manual if remote-versus-in-person comparability matters for your documentation [6].

Test length and pace

Conners CPT 3 is the shorter test at 14 minutes [4]. T.O.V.A. runs 21.6 minutes per modality — nearly 44 minutes if you administer both the visual and auditory versions back-to-back, though most clinicians use one or the other depending on the referral question [1]. For a preschool-age visual screen, T.O.V.A. publishes a shortened 10.8-minute version for ages 4–5.5, younger than Conners CPT 3’s published floor of age 8 [1][4].

What does the evidence say about each one specifically?

Pooled across commercially available CPTs generally, a 2024 meta-analysis in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry found sensitivity of 0.75 and specificity of 0.71 for the overall/ADHD score, concluding that none of the CPTs reviewed met a minimally acceptable 0.80/0.80 standard as a standalone tool [8]. That review didn’t break results out by individual product for every metric, so it applies to the category, not a specific vendor claim.

A 2024 systematic review focused specifically on the Conners CPT-3 looked at 13 studies and found that most rated CPT-3 a “weak or poor predictor” of an ADHD diagnosis when used alone, though two studies found it useful for distinguishing ADHD from comorbid anxiety or OCD presentations [9]. We found no comparable dedicated systematic review isolating T.O.V.A.‘s standalone accuracy; it is included in the broader multi-product reviews above [8]. Neither product should be used as a solo diagnostic instrument — both vendors’ materials, and the independent literature, position CPTs as one input into a fuller evaluation. See CPT accuracy for ADHD: what the meta-analyses show for the full evidence picture, and ADHD rating scales vs. objective testing for how to weigh a CPT result against the interview and history.

Try it with your next patient. AxonCPT gives you 2 free tests every month — no card required. Send a link, your patient finishes in ~16 minutes from home, and you get a norm-referenced report instantly. Create your free account →

What does each cost?

Using list prices only, with no tax, shipping, or bulk discounts, and assuming 50 tests in year one:

Product Pricing model Year-one cost at 50 tests Arithmetic
T.O.V.A. 9 $1,095 system + $15/credit [5] $1,770 $1,095 + 45 × $15
Conners CPT 3 Online $10/use, minimum 15 $500 50 × $10

T.O.V.A. carries a large fixed cost (the $1,095 system) that amortizes as volume grows, while Conners CPT 3 Online is closer to pure pay-per-use, subject to its 15-use minimum purchase [4][5]. Neither vendor page we reviewed states a product-specific billing code; coding depends on how the test was administered and what else was done during the visit. See CPT code for TOVA, Conners CPT 3, and QbCheck for how that works, and verify with each payer before billing.

When T.O.V.A. may fit better

  • You need an auditory CPT, or want to evaluate ages down to 4 (visual) or up to 80+.
  • You test exclusively in-office and want a dedicated hardware response device.
  • Your institution or payer requires an FDA 510(k)-cleared product; T.O.V.A. carries two clearances under product code LQD [7].
  • You already own a T.O.V.A. system and the marginal $15/credit cost fits your volume.

When Conners CPT 3 Online may fit better

  • You want a shorter test (14 minutes) with no dedicated hardware.
  • Some of your patients need to test remotely, and you don’t need an auditory modality.
  • Your practice already uses other Conners instruments (Conners 3, CAARS) and values a single vendor ecosystem.
  • Your youngest patients are 8 or older, or you also need K-CPT 2 (ages 4–7) or CATA in-office.

How this looks in practice

A psychologist choosing between the two for a new adult ADHD evaluation might work through this sequence:

  1. Confirm the referral question. Is an auditory attention measure clinically relevant, or is a visual CPT sufficient?
  2. Check the setting. If the patient must test remotely and doesn’t need CATA or K-CPT 2, Conners CPT 3 Online supports that; T.O.V.A. does not publish a remote option.
  3. Administer and interpret the result alongside the interview, history, and rating scales — neither product is validated as a standalone diagnostic test [8][9].
  4. Document the reason for testing and how the result informed the plan, which supports both the clinical record and any billing claim.

If your patients need to test from home and neither T.O.V.A. nor an in-clinic Conners administration fits, other remote-capable CPTs are worth a look. With AxonCPT, the patient opens an emailed link and completes the test in about 16 minutes on a phone, tablet, or desktop browser, with no app or login required. The report compares five metrics against age- and sex-matched norms and is ready as soon as the patient finishes. See what the report looks like, or read more about objective ADHD testing with AxonCPT. AxonCPT is not FDA-cleared and does not measure auditory attention; it’s one option among the remote-capable products covered in best remote ADHD tests for telehealth. For a direct, detailed look at how AxonCPT compares to each of these two products, see AxonCPT vs. TOVA and AxonCPT vs. Conners CPT 3.

Frequently asked questions

Can either TOVA or Conners CPT 3 be given remotely? Conners CPT 3 Online supports remote administration for the standalone CPT 3 (not K-CPT 2 or CATA) [4]. We found no remote administration option for T.O.V.A. on the vendor’s site; it requires its USB device connected to a computer [1][2].

Which test is FDA-cleared? T.O.V.A. carries two FDA 510(k) clearances (K170082, K173915) under product code LQD. We found no openFDA record for Conners CPT 3 Online [7].

Is one more accurate than the other for diagnosing ADHD? No published head-to-head study directly compares the two on the same sample. Pooled data across CPTs generally shows sensitivity around 0.75 and specificity around 0.71, below the 0.80/0.80 threshold usually considered acceptable for a standalone tool, and a dedicated review of CPT-3 specifically found it a weak-to-poor standalone predictor in most included studies [8][9].

Does either test include an auditory version? T.O.V.A. does, for ages 6–29. Conners CPT 3 is visual only; MHS’s separate CATA test adds auditory/visual attention measurement but is administered locally, not remotely [1][4].

Start testing your patients with AxonCPT

If neither an in-office hardware system nor a laptop-only remote option fits a telehealth ADHD practice, AxonCPT lets patients test from any phone, tablet, or computer with no app or login, at a published per-test price built for repeat testing during titration. Start with 2 free tests every month, no card required. Create your free AxonCPT account or learn more at axoncpt.com.

References

  1. The TOVA Company. How the T.O.V.A. Works. Accessed September 27, 2026.
  2. The TOVA Company. Computer Requirements. Accessed September 27, 2026.
  3. The TOVA Company. T.O.V.A. Store. Accessed September 27, 2026.
  4. Multi-Health Systems. Conners CPT Online Suite storefront. Accessed September 27, 2026.
  5. The TOVA Company. T.O.V.A. Store (pricing). Accessed September 27, 2026.
  6. Multi-Health Systems. Flexible, Secure, Online: Meet the Conners CPT Online Suite. Updated August 4, 2026.
  7. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 510(k) Premarket Notification database (K170082, K173915), product code LQD. Queried September 27, 2026.
  8. Arrondo G, Mulraney M, Iturmendi-Sabater I, et al. Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Clinical Utility of Continuous Performance Tests for the Identification of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2024;63(2):154-171.
  9. Callan PD, Swanberg S, Weber SK, Eidnes K, Pope TM, Shepler D. Diagnostic Utility of Conners Continuous Performance Test-3 for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review. J Atten Disord. 2024;28(6):992-1007.