The HeyWise Autism Test: Is It a Valid Screener for ASD? (2026 Review)
Short answer: The Heywise autism test is a free, roughly 4-minute online quiz on Heywise.com, a quiz and trivia website. Heywise describes it as being in the style of the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and says it is a preliminary self-check, not a diagnosis, and its quizzes are “just for fun”. No published study has checked how accurate the Heywise version is. If you want a meaningful screening score, take the full AQ-50 or the RAADS-R, then talk to a professional.
Written by Dror Arbel, a parent, not a clinician. Last reviewed November 2026. 101Autism has no connection to Heywise.
Correction note: An earlier version of this page said the Heywise test had 58 questions, was developed by psychologists, was calibrated against the ADOS-2 and ADI-R, and was 97% accurate in a clinical trial. We could not find any source for those claims, and Heywise does not make them, so we removed them.
Contents
- What is the Heywise autism test?
- Is the Heywise autism test accurate?
- The AQ: the questionnaire behind it
- Heywise vs. validated screeners
- What to do with your result
- FAQ
- Sources
What Is the Heywise Autism Test?
Heywise is an entertainment and trivia quiz website that says it has been making quizzes since 2017. Its autism quiz, titled “Quick Autism Test – Understand Your Symptoms”, is written by a member of its quiz staff. This is what the quiz page says, checked in November 2026:
| Format | A short series of self-report questions. You click the answer that fits you best. |
|---|---|
| Time | About 4 minutes |
| Based on | Described as the “Autism Spectrum Test, often called the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) test”. The page does not say whether it uses the official 50 AQ items or the official scoring. |
| Who it is for | Adults and teens curious about autistic traits |
| Who makes it | Heywise quiz staff. No clinician or research team is named. |
| Heywise’s own disclaimer | “Not a diagnostic tool but rather a preliminary assessment”, “not a substitute for a professional diagnosis”, and “these quizzes are just for fun” |
Is the Heywise Autism Test Accurate?
Nobody knows, because the Heywise version has not been tested in any published study. The accuracy figures on its page come from research on the original AQ, not from the Heywise quiz. A shortened or reworded version of a questionnaire can behave differently from the original, so those figures do not automatically carry over.
Even the original AQ has limits. In the first study, about 80% of autistic adults scored 32 or more, compared with about 2% of the comparison group (Baron-Cohen et al., 2001). But that comparison was between people already diagnosed and the general public. In adults referred to a specialist clinic, the AQ missed a lot of autistic people and flagged many who turned out not to be autistic (Ashwood et al., 2016). Anxiety, depression, ADHD and social anxiety can all raise scores on autism questionnaires.
Bottom line: Treat a Heywise result as a prompt for reflection, not as evidence for or against autism.
The AQ: The Questionnaire Behind It
The Autism Spectrum Quotient was published in 2001 by Simon Baron-Cohen and colleagues at the Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge. It has 50 statements on five areas: social skills, attention switching, attention to detail, communication and imagination. You answer from “definitely agree” to “definitely disagree”, and each answer in the autistic-trait direction scores 1 point, for a total of 0 to 50. A score of 32 or more is the research cutoff. There is also a 10-item version, the AQ-10, which UK guidance (NICE) suggests to help decide who to refer for assessment.
You can take the full AQ-50 autism quiz on 101Autism. It uses the published items and scoring and explains your result.
Heywise vs. Validated Screeners
| Test | Items | Published research? | Common cutoff | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heywise autism quiz | Not stated (short) | No | None published | Curiosity only |
| AQ-50 | 50 | Yes (Baron-Cohen 2001 and many later studies) | 32+ | Adult self-screening |
| AQ-10 | 10 | Yes (Allison et al., 2012) | 6+ | Deciding whether to seek referral |
| RAADS-R | 80 | Yes (Ritvo et al., 2011) | 65+ | Adult self-screening, often with a clinician |
| CAT-Q | 25 | Yes (Hull et al., 2019) | No official cutoff | Measuring masking, not autism itself |
| IDRlabs autism test | 50 | Not for the IDRlabs version | None | Curiosity, trait profile |
For a broader comparison, see our guide to online autism quizzes and how accurate they are, and the Embrace Autism tests.
Only a professional assessment can diagnose autism. It usually includes a detailed developmental history and, often, structured tools such as the ADOS-2 and the ADI-R.
What to Do With Your Result
- High score or strong recognition: Take the full AQ-50 or RAADS-R, write down examples from childhood and daily life, and ask your doctor about an adult autism assessment. Our list of where to get tested for autism as an adult covers every US state.
- Low score but you still wonder: Many autistic adults, especially women and people who mask, score lower than expected. A low quiz score does not rule autism out. Read about autism self-assessment in adults.
- Feeling overwhelmed: If you are in crisis in the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Thinking about an adult autism assessment?
An online quiz is only a starting point. The Pre-Assessment Checklist helps you gather your history, examples and questions before you book or attend an evaluation.
Download the Pre-Assessment Checklist
A printable organizing tool from 101Autism.com. Not a diagnostic test and not medical advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Heywise autism test free?
The quiz is on a free, ad-supported quiz website. Heywise does not ask you to pay for the quiz itself, but check what you agree to before entering any personal details.
Is the Heywise autism test the same as the AQ?
Heywise describes its quiz as the Autism Spectrum Test, often called the AQ, but it does not say whether it uses the official 50 items and scoring. If you want the real AQ, take the full AQ-50.
How accurate is the Heywise autism test?
It has not been studied. Accuracy figures for the original AQ come from research on that questionnaire, and even the original AQ produces many false positives and false negatives in adults referred for assessment.
Can the Heywise test diagnose autism?
No. Heywise itself says it is not a diagnostic tool. Only a qualified professional can diagnose autism after a full assessment.
Which online autism test is most reliable for adults?
The AQ-50 and RAADS-R have the most published research among free self-report tools, but none of them can diagnose autism. They are best used to decide whether to seek a professional assessment.
Sources
- Heywise. Quick Autism Test – Understand Your Symptoms (checked November 2026).
- Baron-Cohen S, et al. The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2001. doi:10.1023/A:1005653411471
- Allison C, Auyeung B, Baron-Cohen S. Toward brief red flags for autism screening: the short AQ-10. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2012. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2011.11.003
- Ashwood KL, et al. Predicting the diagnosis of autism in adults using the AQ questionnaire. Psychological Medicine, 2016. doi:10.1017/S0033291716001082
- Ritvo RA, et al. The Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2011. doi:10.1007/s10803-010-1133-5
- NICE. Autism spectrum disorder in adults: diagnosis and management (CG142).
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