The 16 personality types described in the Myers Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI) have portrayed the various types with differences and similarities. Each type is different from the other in subtle ways, even if they possess a similar set of cognitive functions.

In this short think piece, we will enumerate the contrasting shades of ESFP vs. ENFP personality types.

ESFP VS ENFP

Do you want to understand and figure out which one is ‘you’? If you’re an ESFP according to the MBTI personality test, you know your type. But the moment you spoke to a person, who is an ENFP, you found many similar qualities.

Right at that moment, you started wondering whether both of you have the same personality type. To clear the haze, let’s analyze the go-against traits that ESFPs and ENFPs possess.

ESFP and ENFP personality types are typical extroverts with a love for life. They are outgoing, sociable, friendly, and love being in the spotlight. They share many common personality traits. Thus, getting confused is nothing uncommon.

ESFPs and ENFPs are feeling perceiving personalities. They are easy-going and prefer to move with the flow of life. 

Being spontaneous and value-oriented people, they have immense respect for their values. They rely on their personal decision-making quality that is value-driven and ethical.

Both these types are energetic and have people’s skills. They know the art of socialization and how to attract others to them.

ESFPs and ENFPs use introverted feeling and extraverted thinking as their primary cognitive functions. This makes them kind and generous as well.

One major perceptual difference that is found in these two types is, that they differ in their sensing vs, Intuition functions. 

ENFPs are thoughtful, reserved, and intuitive. They are guided by their instincts and love to plan ahead of their present time.

Contrary to them, we have ESFPs who are present-focused. They live in the moment and dislike long-term planning. They prefer going slow with their projects and finishing off one task at a time.

ENFPs love to dream and create ideas in their world of deep thinking while ESFPs prefer to live life as it is. They are realists who like to be practical and pragmatic. They are down-to-earth and grounded by nature.

In order to understand the finer contrasts of these two types let’s get into the similarities and differences in detail.

The points of similarities between ESFP and ENFP

ESFP and ENFP personalities share many common traits because they possess similar cognitive functions. Some of these similarities are discussed below:

  • Both these personality types are lively, jovial, and have immense love for social networking. They have a big friends circle. 
  • Spending time outdoors energizes their mind and body.
  • Armed with good communication, they are quick to understand what others want in a relationship. This quality also makes them kind and compassionate.
  • ESFPs and ENFPs hate monotonous ways of living. They cannot follow schedules and routine activities. They seek novelty and excitement in their daily life.
  • They hold tightly to their core values and beliefs. Thus, integrity and honest living become their strengths.
  • Both these types are feeling-perceiving types. Thus, they are relaxed, easy-going, and emotional types. They cannot take criticisms lightly, but rather tend to feel hurt and bruised if others try to judge them in social spheres.
  • Their energy is contagious and others find immense joy while basking in their company.
  • Both these types are socially active and love to party and move around seeking new adventures. They do not like laid-back attitudes because they are go-getters.
  • People cannot ignore their social presence because they are friendly and talkative to a great deal.
  • They dislike being micro-managed and work well in independent setups. They hate being guided or ordered in some way.
  • Pointless social customs and social niceties that are just showy are not for these two personality types.
  • They prefer to break rules that are purposeless.
  • Both ESFPs and ENFPs love to help others. Offering support to the distressed and showing empathy and altruism to the needy makes them socially popular personality types.
  • Both these types are flexible and open-minded. They change according to the need of the hour.
  • ESFPS and ENFPs can decide quickly and can adapt easily to changes.
  • They hardly complain and prefer to make the best use of whatever they have with them.

ESFP vs ENFP: The points of difference – 

ESFPENFP
ESFPs are sensors. They use their senses and analyze the details of the situation closely. ESFPs are present-focused. They live in precious moments.ENFPs are intuitive. Thus, they prefer to think and analyze the bigger picture of a situation. They are future planners. ENFPs are more future-oriented than ESFPs.
ESFPs are friendly and they prefer listening to the life stories of others. They know others through their past and present life events.ENFP love sharing ideas and perceptions with others. Thus, they know them more through social interaction and communication. Shared experiences help an ENFP to know others.
ESFPs learn by using their sharp senses. Thus, they believe in things that can be experienced by seeing, hearing, or feeling things around them.ESFPs have sharp observation skills.ENFPs have poor observation power. They are not good at analyzing things in detail that they see, hear, or experience. These people can only skim and scan their surroundings on the surface.
ESFPs are good at comparing past and present facts to reach an ideal decision. They are detailed-oriented types. Still, at times, they would decide in haste.ENFPs are thoughtful and intuitive. They follow their instinctual call, thereby looking into future possibilities of a decision. They are not hasty decision-makers.
ESFPs love if others praise them. They feel good to be a part of the public eye. ENFP feels great if others appreciate their creative ideologies.
ESFPs do not rely on past events or future possibilities. They stay focused on their present. ESFPs believe that if their present is stable, it will surely lead to a secure future.ENFPs always think about future goals and thus they do a lot of long-term planning.
ESFPs can make friends with unknown people. Even give those practical suggestions and advice to improve their life.ENFPs also love to socialize but more with people they know; not strangers.
ESFPs are flexible and adaptable. They can adapt to changing situations pretty quickly, maybe to avoid any conflict with anyone.ENFPs are more stubborn than ESFPs. They are adaptable only to a certain extent. ENFPs will not go as per the whims of others. They prefer to take the final call in everything they do.
ESFP prefers sensory stimulation. They prefer to experiment and explore their immediate surroundings to learn new things. They like tangible and practical learning.ENFPs are more thoughtful. They trust their gut feelings. More so, they learn by analyzing the situation thoroughly in their heads. They prefer brainstorming about new concepts and ideas.
ESFP VS.ENFP

To Sum Up

ESFPs and ENFPs are look-alike types. So, it is difficult to set them apart unless studied in detail. Both these personalities are vibrant and lively. Being an extrovert, they derive their mental energy through socialization and networking.

They are skilled, flexible, easy-going, and emotionally intelligent types. One thing that contrasts them on the surface is, that ESFPs are bothered about ‘what’ and ENFPs are more into understanding the ‘why’

Simply saying, ESFPs wish to know what’s happening and changing in their immediate world, and how they can alter themselves to sync with such changes.

Contrary to this, ENFPs want to know why things are changing. Why does one need to change and alter with changing circumstances in life? Is change really essential? Their intuitive mind always wants to know the ultimate truth of life.