AP vs. SAT Subject Tests: What is the difference?

Though both the tests, AP(Advanced Placements) and SAT Subject Tests are conducted by the College Board, taking both helps you stand out to the admission authority by demonstrating a speciality or mastery of a particular subject area.  They both can have an impact on the chances of admission at competitive universities in different ways.

AP
Advanced Placements (AP) is a programme that offers college-level curriculum and examinations to high school students for them to demonstrate proficiency in certain subjects before commencing college.  To know the basics of AP exams, read this  https://www.tutelaprep.com/ap

SAT Subject Test
SAT Subject Tests are college exams which test a student on a specific subject.  These tests give students an opportunity to choose the subjects in which they can demonstrate their grasp of the subject.  To know about Subject Tests in detail, read this https://www.tutelaprep.com/sat-subjects-tests

So, what is the difference between these exams?

AP Exams	SAT Subject Tests
Students can earn college credit based on their performance on the AP exam, but AP exams are not required for admission.	Some schools require SAT Subject-Test for admission in addition to SAT or ACT scores, for admission
Aims to assess competence with material	Subject Tests are designed to assess proficiency
34 courses to choose from	20 SAT Subject Tests to choose from
Exam Duration: three hours	Exam Duration: one-hour
Include multiple-choice and free-response questions	Only have multiple-choice questions
Exams are offered once per year	Tests are offered multiple times per year
Scored on a scale of 1 to 5	Scored out of 800 points
There’s no negative marking	Presence of negative marking
All AP Exam scores are sent to colleges	Students can decide which Subject Test scores they want to send to colleges
AP exams require higher-order thinking skills, the need to synthesize information, make connections, and draw conclusions	Subject Tests require students to have factual knowledge and to be able to churn through the content at a fast pace
Candidates are recommended to take 2-6 APs based on their course requirement	Candidates are recommended to take 2-3 SAT Subject Tests based on their course requirement

Conclusion
AP Tests and SAT Subject Tests differ in many ways, although they both can have an impact on your chances of admission at competitive colleges.  AP Tests are associated with specific AP classes, and their content tends to be more challenging than that SAT Subject Tests.  Your scores on AP Tests may also earn you college credit or allow you to place out of introductory college classes if they are high enough.  SAT Subject Tests are occasionally used for placement purposes.