Head to head
Common Frog vs Common Toad
Every toad is a frog, but not every frog is a toad. "Frog" covers the whole order Anura; "toad" is a loose label for the warty, short-legged, land-loving ones — mostly the true toad family, Bufonidae. Using the common frog and the common toad of Europe as the classic pair, here is how they differ.
| Common Frog | Common Toad | |
|---|---|---|
| Skin | Smooth, moist, needs to stay damp | Dry, thick, warty; copes better with dry ground |
| Legs and movement | Long hind legs; long leaps | Short legs; crawls or short hops |
| Body shape | Slim, streamlined | Squat, broad, rounded |
| Behind the eyes | No prominent glands | Large bulging parotoid poison glands |
| Eggs | Laid in a floating clump (spawn) | Laid in long gelatinous strings around plants |
| Habitat between breeding | Stays near water and damp cover | Ranges well away from water into gardens and woods |
| Defence | Speed, jumping, hiding | Toxic skin, puffing up, standing tall, playing dead |
| Teeth | Tiny teeth in the upper jaw | No teeth |
Frog vs Toad: common questions
What is the difference between a frog and a toad?
In everyday use: frogs have smooth moist skin, long legs, and leap, and lay eggs in a clump; toads have dry warty skin, short legs, and crawl or hop, have poison glands behind the eyes, and lay eggs in strings. Scientifically, "toad" is not a real group — it is applied to the warty-skinned members of several different frog families, mainly the "true toads" (Bufonidae).
Do toads give you warts?
No. Human warts are caused by a virus. Toads have wart-like skin and secrete a mild toxin from it, so you should wash your hands after handling one and avoid your eyes and mouth, but touching a toad cannot give you warts.
Is a toad just an old frog?
No — a toad does not "turn into" anything, and a frog does not become a toad with age. They are different animals from the moment they hatch, though both start as tadpoles.