To investigate the relationship between the load bearing and deformation characteristics of soil tension-type anchor rods and pressure-type anchor rods under pull-out loads, pull-out tests were conducted on tension-type and pressure-type anchors in both sandy and clayey strata based on the central anchored pressure plate experimental principle. The load transfer characteristics and deformation failure mechanisms during the bearing and failure processes of soil anchors were analyzed, and the results were compared with numerical simulations. The results indicate that both tension-type and pressure-type anchors exhibit three-stage deformation characteristics during the pull-out tests: the ″elastic deformation stage″, ″plastic deformation stage″ and ″post-debonding residual friction stage″. As the anchorage length increases, the anchorage force initially increases and then stabilizes. Specifically, when the anchorage length of tension-type anchors increase from 400 mm to 500 mm, the maximum increase in ultimate load reaches 55.32%. The primary failure mode of soil anchorage systems occurs at the interface between the anchor and the surrounding soil. During the pull-out process, the shear stress-bearing capacity of the soil increases with the applied load. It attributes to the rotational movement of soil particles around the anchor, which generates rolling friction and dissipates energy, thereby indirectly enhancing the soil′s load-bearing capacity. This study reveals the load transfer characteristics of soil anchorage systems under pull-out loads, providing theoretical reference for the design of soil anchor-supported structures.