INTJ vs INTP — these two types can seem surprisingly similar at first glance. They share the same “INT-” beginning, which might make you think they process the world in similar ways. But do they really? And more importantly: how are they different?
Let’s break it down.
INTJ cognitive functions explained in 60 secs
Here’s a quick video (just one minute) to understand what mental processes an INTJ uses:
Summary of INTJ cognitive functions:
(These are unconscious processes — INTJs usually don’t realise they process the world this way.)
- Introverted Intuition (Ni): This function predicts outcomes. It connects patterns like puzzle pieces and says “This will probably happen.” INTJs like to narrow down possibilities to a single, most likely conclusion. That’s why they’re extremely future-focused — always reading between the lines to foresee what’s coming.
- Extraverted Thinking (Te): INTJs make decisions based on objective, external logic. They want their reasoning to be visible and understandable to others — and they want to apply it efficiently and immediately.
- Introverted Feeling (Fi): This third function makes decisions based on internal values — a quiet inner compass. INTJs don’t particularly enjoy using it, and they often distrust “gut feelings.”
- Extraverted Sensing (Se): This is their inferior function. It’s about engaging with the present moment, unfiltered. INTJs find this overwhelming, especially when plans change unexpectedly or the physical world demands spontaneity.
If someone doesn’t use these four functions in this order, they’re not an INTJ.
Knowing this helps when comparing INTJ vs INTP — because the differences are rooted here.
INTP cognitive functions explained in 60 secs
Here’s another quick 1-minute video to get a feel for how INTPs process the world:
Summary of the INTP cognitive functions:
- Introverted Thinking (Ti): INTPs base their decisions on internal logic. They trust what makes sense to them — not what others find logical. They like to analyse and refine thoughts on their own time.
- Extraverted Intuition (Ne): INTPs explore possibilities and love brainstorming. They don’t want the “best” outcome — they want all the ideas. “What if this…?” is their favourite question. Where INTJs want a conclusion, INTPs enjoy the exploration itself.
- Introverted Sensing (Si): INTPs can find it hard to stick to routines or focus on practical details. They’d rather stay in their heads than check if theory matches reality. Planning step by step? Following through with boring tasks? Meh. Why do today what you can re-theorise tomorrow?
- Extraverted Feeling: (Fe): The biggest challenge for INTPs is making decisions based on what other people like — especially when it doesn’t make logical sense but just follows social conventions. Because of this, they’re usually not interested in sharing personal feelings or subjective opinions. Their main focus is their own inner logic — that’s what feels most natural and reliable to them! It also mean that they will show their affection in more “logical/practical” ways. Don’t rely on them to vent.
If someone doesn’t use these four functions in this order, they’re not an INTP.
And again — understanding this is crucial when comparing INTJ vs INTP.
Summing up the cognitive differences between INTJ vs INTP
They’re not total opposites, but they definitely walk through life with a different compass. INTPs lead with a judging function — Introverted Thinking, which means making decisions comes first. INTJs, on the other hand, lead with a perceiving function — Introverted Intuition, so spotting patterns and future possibilities is their top priority.
So nope — you can’t be “a bit of both.”
They’re not total opposites, but they definitely walk through life with a different compass. INTPs lead with a judging function — Introverted Thinking, which means making decisions comes first. INTJs, on the other hand, lead with a perceiving function — Introverted Intuition, so spotting patterns and future possibilities is their top priority.
So nope — you can’t be “a bit of both.”
However, even if INTJs and INTPs don’t come from the same place cognitively speaking, they can still run into the same kind of trouble out in the real world — and sometimes even develop similar strengths. It’s a bit like when you and your friend both ace a maths exam, but each of you used a totally different method to get there. Same result, different brain route. Except here, there’s no “wrong answer” — just two brilliant minds doing their own thing 🙂
Summary of INTJ vs INTP strengths and weaknesses
Based on their cognitive functions, we can outline typical strengths and weaknesses of each type.
Reminder: This doesn’t mean INTJs or INTPs always behave this way. It means they’re more likely to. That’s how MBTI works 🙂
INTJs' strengths
On the left: what comes from Introverted Intuition.
On the right: what comes from Extraverted Thinking.
INTPs' strengths
To the left: strengths from Introverted Thinking.
To the right: strengths from Extraverted Intuition.
INTJs' weaknesses
INTJs’ biggest challenge is dealing with the chaos of the outer world — and how fast it changes. Their dominant function, Introverted Intuition, wants to narrow things down, not explore endless options. INTJs like to predict what’s coming. When they can’t, life feels like chaos. And if life doesn’t make sense, they have to fix it — which is exhausting. INTPs, on the other hand, don’t mind not knowing what to expect. Thanks to Extraverted Intuition, they actually prefer a bit of unpredictability. Less planning, more possibilities — that’s their sweet spot.
To a lesser degree (theoretically), INTJs also struggle with listening to their inner “irrational” voice — aka “their heart” — because it doesn’t feel rational enough. Not in the way Extraverted Thinking does. As a result, they tend to dismiss personal opinions, emotions, or feelings when making decisions.
But repressing all that? It doesn’t just vanish. At some point, Introverted Feeling pushes back — and when it does, it often comes out raw and unfiltered. That’s why INTJs can be more prone to emotional outbursts — especially anger — than INTPs.
INTJs are actually more in touch with their own subjectivity — their values, their emotions — than INTPs, since Introverted Feeling is their third function (and it’s dead last for INTPs). But that doesn’t mean they enjoy it. Far from it. INTJs still don’t like factoring in their own feelings — so they’re not exactly eager to consider other people’s, either.
INTPs' weaknesses
INTPs’ main weakness lies in their difficulty opening up to others or understanding them on a personal level — thanks to their inferior Extraverted Feeling. This can make them seem uninterested in people’s emotions, almost as if they lack empathy. But really, they just prefer to understand others logically, in a more “practical” way.
So, if someone’s crying, the INTP might skip the hug and go straight to analysis:
“Wait, you’re crying because of that? But… that’s kind of stupid. I mean, it doesn’t really matter.”
They don’t realise how insensitive that sounds — to them, it’s just the truth. “Why cry if it makes no sense?” they’ll say, genuinely confused.
Now, that might sound a bit like INTJs too — but they’re not being insensitive for the same reason.
- INTJs, on the other hand, try to rationalise the other person’s emotions and fix the problem logically.
“It doesn’t make sense to cry about this. So let’s stop wasting time. Let’s fix it. Be efficient.” Whereas INTPs just analyse the person’s behaviour — and don’t really feel the need to act on it.
“You’re crying because of this? Huh. Doesn’t really make sense to me… but okay. I’ll come back when you’re done crying. Bye.”
(This is an exaggeration…)
INTPs deal with feelings and subjectivity differently than INTJs — cognitively speaking. INTPs tend to dismiss their own subjectivity altogether, while INTJs do consider theirs… but uneasily, and only when they really have to.
INTPs prefer to stay rooted in their inner logic — their dominant function. Of course, they have emotions like everyone else, but instead of feeling or expressing them, they’d rather dissect them privately and make sense of them on their own terms.
That’s why they might seem emotionally detached to others. But don’t be fooled — they feel deeply.
It’s just that those feelings rarely make it to the surface. That’s also why INTPs tend to be less prone to emotional outbursts than INTJs. That river? It runs quiet… and very deep.
To a lesser degree, INTPs also struggle with bringing their ideas down to earth and dealing with day-to-day routine. That’s the Introverted Sensing effect — it’s their tertiary function. So while they may have a million brilliant ideas, actually looking at the concrete details to implement them? Not their favourite thing.
That’s why INTPs can come across as a bit “impractical” — and why they tend to have a special gift for procrastination (like all xNxP types. We’re the beeeeeest at it. Gold medal stuff.)
INTJs, in theory, are more practical. Their second function, Extraverted Thinking, is all about efficiency — so they’re usually more inclined to get things done and bring their plans to life
INTP vs INTJ conclusion (visual)
And now, here’s a quick visual summary of the INTJ vs INTP topic — what brings them together, and what sets them apart.
Quick reminder: mentally add “can be” in front of each point when reading the infographic. Cognitive functions don’t automatically make you “like this” or “like that” — they’re unconscious processes that suggest likely behaviours. Whether you actually develop those behaviours depends on a whole mix of things: environment, upbringing, experience, temperament…
Also, MBTI is about tendencies — what you show most often, not all the time. So if you’re wondering which one you are, ask yourself:
“Am I more often like an INTJ, or more often like an INTP?”
And remember: your type isn’t your identity.
It’s just a tool — to understand how your mind works, how you make decisions, how you see the world. Use it to grow. Don’t let it box you in.
I hope this helped! Thank you for reading 🙂
Check out this article to fully understand the MBTI theory, cognitive functions and all that!
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