Best language apps for speaking practice
A tutor on Preply or italki if you want a person to talk to, Speak or Langua for an AI that answers back, Pimsleur to answer aloud from your first lesson, and HelloTalk or Tandem to talk to native speakers for free.
Prices checked 6 Sept to 12 Oct 2026 · How we check
Who listens when you speak
Every app here, by what happens when you speak. The price is the cheapest yearly plan, or the price per lesson where you pay a tutor.
A person listens
A tutor, a class or a language partner hears everything and answers like a person.
- italki
One-to-one video lessons with a teacher you choose, usually 30 to 60 minutes.
- HelloTalk
Text, voice and video chats with native speakers who are learning your language.
- Tandem
Voice notes, audio and video calls with a partner who wants to learn your language.
- Cambly
English only: lessons with a tutor, one to one or in a small group.
- Lingoda
Live classes of 3 to 5 students, or private, following a syllabus by level.
- Preply
One-to-one video lessons of 50 minutes with a tutor you choose.
An AI answers
You talk to an AI that answers and corrects you, at any hour.
- Promova
Short lessons, then speaking practice and role-play with an AI tutor.
- Langua
Open conversation, by call or chat, with AI characters voiced from native speakers; each mistake is corrected.
- Speak
Lessons you say aloud, then conversation with an AI tutor that assesses your pronunciation and fluency.
- Talkpal
Role-plays and everyday scenarios with an AI tutor, by voice or text.
- Praktika
Lessons with an AI avatar tutor that listens, answers and comments on your pronunciation.
Speech recognition scores you
A course checks how you said each word or phrase.
- Duolingo
Speaking exercises in the lessons; Max, its top tier, adds AI practice.
- Busuu
Speaking exercises, and spoken answers that native speakers in its community correct.
- Ling
A speaking game that uses Google's voice recognition.
- Babbel
Speech recognition checks your pronunciation inside the lessons.
- Rocket Languages
Voice recognition on thousands of phrases in each level.
- Rosetta Stone
TruAccent scores what you say in every lesson.
- Lingvist
Say your answer for speech recognition to check, or type it.
You answer aloud
Audio lessons and recording tools make you speak; few score you, and several let you compare your recording with a native speaker's.
- Mango Languages
Record yourself and compare your pronunciation with a native speaker's.
- Pimsleur
You answer audio prompts out loud; Voice Coach gives feedback on your pronunciation.
- LingoDeer
Record your own attempt after listening to a native speaker.
- uTalk
Record yourself copying native speakers, then compare the two.
- Glossika
You hear each sentence, repeat it and record your voice.
- Language Transfer
You pause, think and answer out loud before the student on the recording does.
Our picks
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Best with a tutor
italki
Tutor marketplace
$4 to $10 a lessontypical for 30 minutes in English, French and Spanish; each teacher sets a rate
Why it's here. Choose a teacher for the language and conversation you need, then pay lesson by lesson. You get a real person to practise with without committing to an app subscription.
Free: No free tier; discounted trial lesson with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.
Skip it if you want one fixed price or an app to study alone: each teacher sets their own rate.
104 languages
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Best free way to talk to native speakers
Tandem
Language exchange
FreeFree account with many features; Tandem Pro unlocks the rest.
Why it's here. Talk and write to native speakers while helping them with your language. It is a free way to find conversation partners, though it works best when you are willing to help each other.
Paid upgrade: $39.99 a year ($3.33 a month, billed yearly · Tandem Pro Intro)
Skip it if you want lessons: it finds you conversation partners, it does not teach.
300 languages
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Best AI conversation practice
Speak
AI conversation practice
$83.99 a year$7 a month, billed yearly · Premium
Why it's here. Conversation practice with an AI that corrects you (Speak Tutor). A 7-day free trial.
Free: 7-day free trial; no permanently free tier is published.
Skip it if your language is not one of its 6, or you want a free tier.
6 languages
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Best course that scores your pronunciation
Busuu
Course app
$72.99 a year$6.08 a month, billed yearly · Premium
Why it's here. A structured course gives you a path through lessons, with corrections from native speakers. You can start with a free account before deciding whether the paid extras are useful.
Free: Free account with the complete course in each language, community feedback and basic progress tracking.
Skip it if you want live conversation with a person; Busuu has no live lessons.
14 languages · offline lessons
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Best to speak before you can read
Pimsleur
Audio course
$149.95 a year$12.50 a month, billed yearly · Premium
Why it's here. Half-hour audio lessons get you answering aloud, which suits a commute or a walk. Download lessons before you leave and you can practise without a connection.
Free: No free tier; 7-day free trial on subscriptions.
Skip it if you want to read and write, or want something free: it is audio first, with a 7-day trial.
51 languages · offline lessons
24 of the 34 apps we cover make you speak.
What decides it is who listens when you speak. A tutor or a language partner hears everything and answers like a person. An AI conversation app answers and corrects you at any hour. A course with speech recognition scores your pronunciation word by word. An audio course makes you answer aloud, and few of them listen back. Most learners pair one of the first two with a course.
Every app that makes you speak, compared
Recommended first within each type of app. Sort any column or filter by what matters to you.
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| Best for | Free tier | Speech | Tutor | Offline | CEFR | Refund or trial | Where to buy | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course apps | ||||||||||||
| DuolingoCourse appSuper in the US App Store: $9.99 to $119.99, depending on the plan. | A free daily habit | Freepaid tier priced in-app | — | — | Free to keep using Full free tier with ads and limits; Super removes the ads and limits, and Max adds AI practice (Video Call and Roleplay). | 40 | Yes | No | Yes · Limited lessons available offline; progress syncs when connected | A1 to B2 | 1 week free trial on Super | |
| BusuuCourse app | Corrections from native speakers | $72.99 a year$6.08 a month, billed yearly | — | — | Free to keep using Free account with the complete course in each language, community feedback and basic progress tracking; Premium adds review tools, offline mode and no ads. | 14 | Yes | No · Live Lessons are exclusive to Busuu for Business, outside the consumer subscription | Yes | A1 to C1by course | 14-day money-back guarantee on the initial Premium payment; no renewal refunds. Apple and mobile-operator purchases require a refund from that provider. | |
| PromovaCourse app | Short lessons with AI speaking practice | $83.99 a year$7 a month, billed yearly | $19.99 | — | Free to keep using Courses are free if you watch an ad before each lesson; AI role-play is limited. | 12 | Yes | No | — | A1 to C1by course | A free trial for new subscribers. Refunds for website and Google Play purchases are asked for by email; App Store purchases go through Apple. | |
| Mango LanguagesCourse app | Free through many public libraries | About $120 a year$10 a month, billed yearly | $13.99 | — | Free sample Free trial on both personal plans; the first lesson of any language is free; 10 endangered and indigenous language courses are free; free full access through participating public libraries | 73 | No | No | Yes | A1 to B1by course | Free trial on Individual and Family plans; cancel before it ends and you are not charged | |
| LingCourse app | Asian and less-taught languages | $149.99 a year$12.50 a month, billed yearly | $16.99 | — | Free to keep using Free tier with limited lessons and limited dialogue practice, with ads | 80 | Yes | Live online tutors, booked separately through Ling Live. | — | — | 7-day free trial on the 12-month plan; 30-day money-back refund for yearly and lifetime subscriptions bought via Ling web (app-store purchases follow Apple's or Google's refund policy) | |
| LingoDeerCourse app | Grammar-led lessons, with alphabet units for Japanese and Korean | $95.99 a year$8 a month, billed yearly | $14.99 | — | Free to keep using A free version with limited lessons; a membership unlocks every course and feature. | 20 | — | — | Yes | A1 to B1by course | A 7-day money-back guarantee on yearly and longer plans bought on LingoDeer's website, one request per person; no refund for part of a period or a renewal you forgot. | |
| BabbelCourse app | A structured course with grammar explained | $107.40 a year$8.95 a month, billed yearly | $17.99 | $299.99 | Free sample Free account; the first lesson of every course is free, and up to 80 free lessons depending on the language. | 14 | Yes | No · Babbel Live is no longer available to individual consumers | Yes · Downloaded lessons, vocabulary review and podcasts in the mobile app | A1 to C1 | Bought from Babbel in the US: no refund promised if you cancel early. Outside the US: 14 days to change your mind, less what you have used. App store purchases: the store's rules. | |
| Rocket LanguagesCourse app | Paying once per level, not a subscription | $99.95Rocket Sign Language | — | $449.85 | Free trial A free trial; the page does not say what it includes or for how long. | 13 | Yes | No | Yes · audio lessons download in the app; voice recognition needs a connection | A1 to B2by course | A free trial; 60-day money-back guarantee on purchases. | |
| Rosetta StoneCourse app | Immersion without translation | $159 a year$13.25 a month, billed yearly | $19.99 | — | Free sample Free sample lessons on its site; no lasting free plan. | 25 | Yes | Coaching sessions with a Rosetta Stone certified tutor. | Yes | — | 14-day money-back guarantee | |
| Audio courses | ||||||||||||
| PimsleurAudio course | Audio lessons for a commute | $149.95 a year$12.50 a month, billed yearly | $19.95one language | $798 | No | 51 | Yes | — | Yes | — | 7-day free trial on subscriptions; 30 Day money back guarantee on purchases | |
| GlossikaAudio course | Sentence drills by ear | About $199 a year$16.58 a month, billed yearly | $19.99one language | — | Free trial 7-day full access with no credit card, plus a permanent Freemium tier covering nine minoritized languages | 63 | No | No | Yes | A1 to C1by course | 7-day free trial with no credit card; monthly payments are non-refundable, annual plans refundable pro rata within 60 days of purchase | |
| Language TransferAudio course | A free audio course that explains as it goes | Free | — | — | Free to keep using Every course free, with no adverts and no sign-up; it runs on donations. | 11 | No | No | Yes | — | Free; nothing to buy. | |
| Vocabulary and flashcard apps | ||||||||||||
| uTalkVocabulary and flashcards | Phrases in 160 languages | About $30 a year$2.50 a month, billed yearly | $4.99 | — | Free sample Starter Words, a free 26-word pack in every language, plus an online demo at demo.utalk.com | 160 | No | No | Yes | A1 to A2by course | 28-day money-back guarantee | |
| LingvistVocabulary and flashcards | Fast vocabulary with a placement test | $79.99 a year$6.67 a month, billed yearly | $9.99 | — | Free trial Free level placement before subscribing, and a 14-day free trial on the annual plan; the monthly plan has no trial | 16 | Yes | No | — | — | 14-day free trial on the annual plan; cancel before it ends and you are not charged | |
| AI conversation practice | ||||||||||||
| SpeakAI conversation practice | Speaking practice with AI | $83.99 a year$7 a month, billed yearly | $17.99 | — | Free trial 7-day free trial; no permanently free tier is published | 6 | Yes | No | — | — | 7-day free trial; refunds for App Store and Google Play purchases go through Apple or Google, and website purchases through Speak support | |
| TalkpalAI conversation practice | AI conversation practice in many languages | $119.99 a year$10 a month, billed yearly | $19.99 | — | Free to keep using The Basic plan: 10 minutes of chat a day, with progress tracking and pronunciation checks. | 130 | Yes | No | No | — | A 14-day free trial for new users. Bought from Talkpal directly: a full refund if you ask within 30 days of a charge; not for app store purchases. | |
| LanguaAI conversation practice | Natural-sounding AI conversation practice | $149.99 a year$12.50 a month, billed yearly | $19.99 | — | Free to keep using A free version with low limits: 3 minutes of calls a day and about 20 chat messages a week. | 23 | Yes | Human tutors on LanguaTalk, booked separately from Langua; each tutor sets a price per lesson. | — | — | A Pro trial (5 days on a monthly plan, 7 on a yearly one; card needed), and a 30-day money-back guarantee on web and Google Play subscriptions; App Store ones follow Apple's rules. | |
| PraktikaAI conversation practice | Talking with an AI avatar tutor | $9.99 a monthPraktika Premium, 1 month | $9.99 | — | Free to keep using Free to download and use: 3 AI avatars, limited speaking practice, basic feedback. | 14 | Yes | No | — | — | A refund if you ask within 48 hours of a charge, Praktika's help centre says; its terms otherwise make fees non-refundable. | |
| Tutors and live classes | ||||||||||||
| italkiTutor marketplace | Tutors priced per lesson | $4 to $10a typical 30-minute lesson, set by each teacher | — | — | No | 104 | — | Every lesson is live and one to one; italki also sells group classes. | — | — | Discounted trial lesson with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee: up to two credit refunds on trial lessons if the teacher did not show up or did not meet expectations, requested within 48 hours | |
| CamblyTutor marketplace | English conversation with a tutor | $144 a year$12 a month, billed yearly | $24 | — | No | 1 | — | Every lesson is live: one to one, or in a small group on the cheaper plans. | — | — | $1 trial lesson; 7-day money-back guarantee on a first plan; after that, cancel any time and pay only for days used, with long-term discounts forfeited on early cancellation | |
| LingodaTutor marketplace | Live classes by CEFR level | €54.99Group classes, 4 classes · priced in euros | — | — | — | 6 | — | Every class is live: in a group of 3 to 5 students, or private. | — | — | Free 7-day trial | |
| PreplyTutor marketplace | Weekly lessons with one tutor | $3 to $50a lesson | — | — | No | 90 | — | Every lesson is live and one to one. | — | — | Paid trial lesson; up to 2 free trial replacements per account (a new trial with a different tutor at no charge) if the trial did not meet expectations; a tutor who did not join is handled separately, with no limit | |
| Language exchange | ||||||||||||
| TandemLanguage exchange | Language exchange with native speakers | $39.99 a year$3.33 a month, billed yearly | — | — | Free to keep using Free account with many features; Tandem Pro unlocks the rest | 300 | No | No | — | — | Google Play purchases refundable within 14 days of a 1-month subscription or 30 days of a 3-month or 12-month subscription; iOS refunds requested from iTunes within 14 days | |
| HelloTalkLanguage exchange | Chatting with native speakers | $79.99 a year$6.67 a month, billed yearly | $12.99 | — | Free to keep using Free account with ads and daily limits (for example ten translations a day); occasional randomly offered 3-day VIP trials | 260 | — | No | Yes | — | Occasional randomly offered 3-day free VIP trial; refunds handled by Apple or Google for in-app purchases | |
Which to choose
You want to hold a real conversation soon
A tutor on Preply or italki
Preply and italki let you choose a tutor for your language and pay per lesson; each tutor sets the price, so check it before you book. Preply's lessons are 50 minutes, italki's usually 30 to 60. Both start with a trial: Preply replaces one that disappoints, up to twice, and italki refunds up to two trial credits.
You want to practise at any hour, without an audience
Speak, or Langua once you know the basics
Speak gives you lessons you say aloud before a free conversation with its AI tutor, in six languages, for $83.99 a year after a 7-day free trial. Langua is open conversation with AI characters in 23 languages, with a free version of 3 minutes of calls a day; Pro is $149.99 a year.
You want to talk to native speakers for free
HelloTalk or Tandem
HelloTalk and Tandem pair you with people who speak your target language and want to learn yours: you help each other, by text, voice notes and calls. Both are free to use, with paid tiers that lift the limits. They are not courses, so they work best once you can say a few sentences.
You are starting out and want to speak before you read
Pimsleur, or Language Transfer for free
Pimsleur's 30-minute audio lessons make you answer every prompt out loud, and Voice Coach comments on your pronunciation; it is $149.95 a year for one language after a 7-day free trial. Language Transfer's audio courses work the same way, pausing for your answer, and cost nothing.
Questions people ask
Which app is best for speaking practice?
With a person: a tutor on Preply or italki, or a free partner on HelloTalk or Tandem. Without one: Speak for lessons you say aloud with an AI tutor, Langua for open conversation once you know the basics, and Pimsleur for audio lessons you answer out loud.
Can an app correct my pronunciation?
Speech recognition can check it: Babbel, Rosetta Stone (TruAccent), Pimsleur (Voice Coach), Rocket Languages and Lingvist score what you say, and Speak, Praktika and Talkpal comment on it in conversation. Mango Languages and uTalk let you compare a recording of yourself with a native speaker's instead. None of them hears you the way a tutor does.
Is there a free app for speaking practice?
HelloTalk and Tandem are free ways to talk to native speakers, with limits on the free accounts. Language Transfer's audio courses are free and make you answer aloud. Among AI apps, Langua's free version gives 3 minutes of calls a day, Talkpal's Basic plan 10 minutes a day and Praktika's free plan 3 AI avatars.