How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- italki and Preply win for speaking practice, since you talk with a real tutor at prices you set lesson by lesson.
- Pimsleur suits audio-first learners who want to speak fast, with 30-minute lessons built around answering out loud.
- Cambly suits English learners who want on-demand conversation with native speakers without scheduling ahead.
- Lingoda suits learners who want a real language school online, with live certified-teacher classes on a structured curriculum.
- Apps alone rarely close the speaking gap: a person hears the wrong tone or verb ending the moment you say it and makes you say it again.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 italki | Affordable 1-on-1 tutoring | From $4 per lesson | No |
 Preply | Tutor matched to your goals | See website | No |
 Pimsleur | Audio-first speaking practice | $20 per month | Free trial |
 Babbel | Structured conversation courses | $15.99 per month | Free first lessons |
 Busuu | Community-corrected speaking | $13.99 per month | Yes |
 Cambly | On-demand English conversation | See website | No |
 Lingoda | Live classes with certified teachers | See website | Free trial |
 Memrise | Understanding real native speech | See website | Yes |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best language learning apps for speaking
#1italki
Best for: Affordable 1-on-1 tutoring3.8/5 on
G2 (19 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit italki.com
Starting priceFrom $4 per lesson
Free planNo
italki is the leading platform for live conversation practice, connecting learners with professional teachers and community tutors for one-on-one video lessons. With more than 30,000 teachers across 150 or more languages, a learner can find a tutor for a rare language as easily as for Spanish or French, with lessons starting from $4. You choose a teacher by background, style, and student reviews, then schedule lessons that fit your availability.
The trade is effort. italki requires scheduling and active participation, tutor quality varies so trial lessons matter, and there is no fixed monthly price to budget against. italki fits best for learners who prioritize real conversation and want to pay per lesson without a subscription.
What we like- Over 30,000 teachers and community tutors
- 150 or more languages
- Pay per lesson with no subscription required
Watch out for- Requires scheduling and active participation
- Tutor quality varies, so trial lessons matter
- No fixed monthly price
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Preply suits learners who want a tutor matched to their specific goals, whether exam preparation, business conversation, or travel speaking. Its live one-on-one lessons cover almost any language, with tutors filtered by specialty, availability, and price, and per-lesson pricing that keeps costs tied to actual lessons. For a learner with a clear goal, that matching saves the trial-and-error of browsing a large marketplace.
The limits are pricing variation and match quality. Lesson prices are tutor-set and vary widely, some plans use subscription-style billing, and a poor first match costs time. Preply fits best for goal-driven learners who want a matched tutor and are willing to try a trial lesson first.
What we like- Tutor matching to your goals
- Live one-on-one lessons in almost any language
- Per-lesson pricing
Watch out for- Pricing is tutor-set and varies
- Subscription-style billing in some plans
- Tutor quality varies by match
#3Pimsleur
Best for: Audio-first speaking practice4.3/5 on
G2 (2 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit pimsleur.com
Starting price$20 per month
Free planFree trial
Pimsleur suits audio-first learners who want to speak fast. Its lessons run about 30 minutes, built around listening and answering out loud, which trains speaking confidence and pronunciation through repetition rather than reading. For a commuter or driver, Pimsleur turns dead time into speaking practice, and its 7-day trial lets a learner test the method before paying.
The trade is literacy. Pimsleur is weak for reading and writing, its subscription runs $20 to $21 per month, and it explains less grammar than Babbel. Pimsleur fits best for learners who prioritize speaking and pronunciation and learn by listening.
What we like- Audio-first lessons of about 30 minutes
- You answer out loud from the first lesson
- Ideal for commuting and driving
Watch out for- Weak for reading and writing
- Subscription at $20 to $21 per month
- Less grammar explanation than Babbel
Starting price$15.99 per month
Free planFree first lessons
Babbel suits adults who want structured, grammar-first courses with practical conversation. Its lessons build from everyday dialogues with clear grammar explanations, covering business and travel topics alongside general conversation, with optional live online classes for learners who want teacher time. The first lesson of each course is free, so a learner can test the method before paying.
The limits are price and language range. Babbel costs $15.99 per month on a 3-month minimum in some guides, its language list is smaller than italki's, and live classes cost extra. Babbel fits best for structured learners who want grammar plus conversation in a clear progression.
What we like- Structured courses with clear grammar explanations
- Dialogues from everyday situations
- Business and travel topics
Watch out for- Subscription at $15.99 per month on a 3-month minimum in some guides
- Fewer languages than italki
- Live classes cost extra
#5Busuu
Best for: Community-corrected speaking4.4/5 on
G2 (71 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit busuu.com
Starting price$13.99 per month
Free planYes
Busuu suits learners who want feedback without booking a teacher. Its structured courses include speaking and writing exercises that native speakers in its community correct, giving real human feedback on pronunciation and phrasing at a fraction of tutor prices. Its free tier covers early lessons, with full access at $13.99 per month in some guides.
The trade is feedback speed and ads. The free tier shows an ad before each lesson in some guides, and community correction speed varies by language and time of day. Busuu fits best for learners who want structured courses plus human feedback without tutor prices.
What we like- Structured courses plus native-speaker corrections
- Speaking and writing exercises reviewed by the community
- Free tier available
Watch out for- Free tier shows an ad before each lesson in some guides
- $13.99 per month for full access
- Community feedback speed varies
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Cambly suits English learners who want conversation on demand. Unlike italki and Preply, which need scheduling, Cambly connects learners with native English speakers for instant conversation practice, which suits a learner who wants to talk now rather than plan a lesson. That immediacy builds confidence fast for learners who freeze in real conversation.
The limits are language and price. Cambly covers English only, its subscription pricing varies by plan, and tutor quality varies by session. Cambly fits best for English learners who want instant, low-pressure conversation practice.
What we like- On-demand English conversation with native speakers
- No scheduling ahead needed
- Good for confidence building
Watch out for- English only, not a multi-language platform
- Subscription pricing
- Tutor quality varies by session
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
Lingoda suits learners who want a real language school online. Its live small-group and private classes use certified teachers on a CEFR-aligned curriculum, giving structured progression from A1 to C2 with homework and assessments. For a learner who wants classroom discipline without commuting, Lingoda is the closest online equivalent.
The trade is schedule and price. Lingoda uses subscription pricing, its fixed class times suit planners rather than spontaneous learners, and its language list is smaller than italki's. Lingoda fits best for disciplined learners who want live classes and a clear curriculum.
What we like- Live classes with certified teachers
- CEFR-aligned curriculum
- Closest thing to a real language school online
Watch out for- Subscription pricing
- Fixed class times suit planners, not spontaneous learners
- Fewer languages than italki
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Memrise suits learners who want to understand how people really talk. Its short videos of native speakers teach vocabulary and phrases with real pronunciation, rhythm, and slang, which helps listening comprehension more than textbook audio. Its free tier covers early content, making it a low-risk supplement to a tutor or course.
The limits are speaking depth and price. Memrise is light on grammar and speaking practice, its subscription is reported at $24.99 per month in some guides, and it works better as a supplement than as a standalone speaking tool. Memrise fits best alongside italki or Pimsleur, building listening and vocabulary between speaking sessions.
What we like- Short videos of native speakers
- Vocabulary and phrases for real conversation
- Free tier available
Watch out for- Light on grammar and speaking practice
- $24.99 per month in some guides
- Better as a supplement than a standalone speaking tool
How we chose
We compared these apps on speaking practice quality, tutor access, audio training, structure, and price, since speaking needs a person or audio repetition, not just vocabulary drills. Pricing figures come from vendor pages and current comparison guides checked in October 2026, and any figure we could not confirm is marked as See website. We did not claim hands-on testing. Instead we weighed public documentation, pricing pages, and user reviews, plus the practical difference between a tutor marketplace, a live school, and an audio course.
What to check before you pick
Start with the gap. If you have a long Duolingo streak and still freeze when someone speaks to you, you have outgrown app-only learning, and swapping for a similar app will not change that. What helps is adding the thing Duolingo cannot give you: a person who hears your mistakes, or audio training that forces you to answer out loud. Book a trial tutor lesson, try Pimsleur's 7-day trial, and compare which one gets you speaking in the first week.
Combining apps for real progress
No single app covers speaking alone. A practical stack is a tutor platform such as italki or Preply for weekly conversation, Pimsleur for daily audio speaking, and Memrise for listening and vocabulary between sessions. Cambridge English estimates about 200 guided learning hours to move up one CEFR level, so consistency matters more than app choice: a daily 30-minute habit with a weekly tutor session beats a shelf of unused subscriptions.
Budgeting for speaking practice
Tutor lessons from $4 on italki are the cheapest real conversation, while subscriptions run $13.99 to $24.99 per month for courses and more for live schools. Set a monthly speaking budget, book one tutor session a week to start, and add a course subscription only if you use it daily. Cancel any app you have not opened in two weeks.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app for speaking practice?
For real conversation, italki and Preply, since you talk with a real tutor who corrects you live. For audio speaking without a tutor, Pimsleur, and for on-demand English conversation, Cambly.
Can Duolingo teach me to speak?
Duolingo is very good at building a daily habit and much less good at getting you to hold a conversation. Its speaking features sit in the paid Max tier on mobile only, and most learners who freeze in real conversation need a tutor or audio training beyond Duolingo.
How much does a tutor lesson cost?
On italki, lessons start from $4, with typical tutor-set prices from $5 to $25 per hour depending on the teacher and language. Preply prices are also tutor-set and vary by goal and experience.
Is Pimsleur better than Babbel for speaking?
For speaking and pronunciation, yes: Pimsleur's audio-first method forces you to answer out loud from the first lesson. For grammar, reading, and structured courses, Babbel is stronger. Many learners pair the two.
How long does it take to learn to speak a language?
Cambridge English estimates about 200 guided learning hours to move up one CEFR level, and 350 to 400 hours in total to reach B1 from the beginning. Speaking practice with people speeds up real progress more than vocabulary drills alone.
Do I need a tutor, or is AI speaking practice enough?
AI speaking tools such as Speak and Praktika add speaking time between lessons, but a person hears tone, rhythm, and cultural nuance that AI still misses. Use AI for daily practice and a tutor for weekly correction.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://www.italki.com
- https://preply.com
- https://www.pimsleur.com
- https://www.babbel.com
- https://www.busuu.com
- https://www.cambly.com
- https://www.lingoda.com
- https://www.memrise.com
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.