Forces between aqueous ferrofluid droplets dispersed in tetradecane have been determined by small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and optical interferometry using the magnetic chaining technique in an external magentic field. Force versus separation curves obtained from both techniques are in excellent agreement for droplets stabilised by sorbitan monooleate and polymeric emulsifiers. The anisotropic SANS pattern from magnetically-chained droplets can be accurately described analytically as a one-dimensional string of regularly spaced spheres. In contrast with the interferometric approach, SANS enables the droplet dimensions, separation and any deformation to be monitored in situ as a function of applied field. SANS also thus provides a direct measure of the absolute droplet separation.