Bearded Dragon vs Russian Tortoise

The same axes for both animals, taken from the same care guides, so this is a like-for-like comparison rather than two articles written months apart. Neither animal is the right answer on its own. The question is which one fits the space, the budget and the routine you actually have.

Reptiles
Bearded Dragon
Pogona vitticeps
Difficulty
Intermediate
Lifespan
10-15 years
Adult size
16-24 in
Minimum space
17 sq ft floor
Company
Must live alone
Daily time
Medium; daily feed, UVB, cleaning
Running cost
High
Habitat
Vivarium 6 x 3 x 3 ft+, with branches to climb
Diet
Omnivore (insects + greens)
Suits you if
Keepers wanting an interactive, handleable lizard. Families with reptile experience. Those who can fund a large, high-powered setup
Watch out for
Undersized enclosures and weak UVB. Housing two or more together. Calcium/UVB neglect causing bone disease

Full Bearded Dragon guide

Reptiles
Russian Tortoise
Testudo horsfieldii
Difficulty
Intermediate
Lifespan
40+ years
Adult size
5-8 in (females larger)
Minimum space
24 sq ft floor
Company
Usually kept alone
Daily time
Medium; daily feed, weekly cleaning, decades
Running cost
Medium
Habitat
Outdoor pen 108 square feet+ in warm, dry weather; indoor open-top table 7 x 3.5 ft+
Diet
Herbivore (weeds, leafy greens)
Suits you if
Keepers wanting a smaller tortoise species. People who can provide an outdoor pen in summer. Owners ready for a 40+ year commitment
Watch out for
Cramped glass tanks instead of an open table. Feeding fruit or high-protein foods. Skimping on UVB, causing shell deformity

Full Russian Tortoise guide

How to read this

Every row is filled from the same field of the same care guide for both animals, so nothing here is cherry-picked to favour one of them.

Minimum space is the figure from each species' housing guidance, converted to one unit: the smallest space that gives the animal good conditions, not a legal minimum. It is a floor, not a target.

What this does not tell you: your experience, your household, your climate, or which animal you will actually enjoy. Difficulty is our judgement, not a measurement. Read both full guides before deciding, and if the honest answer is neither, that is a good outcome too.