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Speak alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Speak: only a handful of languages, and subscription required after the trial. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Speak, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Praktika currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Cambly logoCamblyPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 462.6
2italki logoitalkiPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 359.6
3Pimsleur logoPimsleurPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 357.2
4Duolingo logoDuolingoFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 455.3
  1. Cambly logo

    1. CamblyTop pick

    Best for: English learners who want to talk to a native speaker whenever they have time

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Speak

    Talk to real native English speakers on demand.

    Pros

    • Tutors available 24/7 with no booking needed
    • Native English-speaking tutors
    • Cheaper small-group option

    Cons

    • English only
    • Many tutors aren't trained teachers
    • Subscription by minutes can be costly
    Visit Cambly Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Cambly a good Speak alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Small groups
    From $17/month (discounted from $24)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026cambly.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Private lessons
    From $39/month (discounted from $56)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026cambly.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Availability
    24/7
    Checked Oct 25, 2026cambly.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Tutors
    Native English speakers
    Checked Oct 25, 2026cambly.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. italki logo

    2. italki

    Best for: Learners who want flexible, pay-per-lesson tutoring in almost any language

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Speak

    Book affordable human tutors for real conversation.

    Pros

    • Pay per lesson with no subscription
    • Huge range of languages and tutors
    • Cheap community tutors for conversation

    Cons

    • Quality varies by tutor
    • Scheduling across time zones takes effort
    • Costs add up with frequent lessons
    Visit italki Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is italki a good Speak alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Teachers
    20,000+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026italki.com(opens source in a new tab)
    English tutor prices
    $4 to $60 per hour
    Checked Oct 25, 2026italki.com(opens source in a new tab)
    30-minute English lesson
    Typically $4 to $10
    Checked Oct 25, 2026italki.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Pimsleur logo

    3. Pimsleur

    Best for: Commuters and travellers who want to start speaking through audio lessons

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Speak

    Audio lessons built around speaking, usable hands-free.

    Pros

    • Gets you speaking out loud from lesson one
    • Hands-free mode for driving
    • Offline lessons

    Cons

    • Vocabulary grows slowly
    • Reading and writing are secondary
    • Format can feel repetitive
    Visit Pimsleur Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Pimsleur a good Speak alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Languages
    50+ on all-access, up to 4 users
    Checked Oct 25, 2026pimsleur.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Car integration
    Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
    Checked Oct 25, 2026pimsleur.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Offline mode
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026pimsleur.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Duolingo logo

    4. Duolingo

    Best for: Beginners and casual learners who want a free, fun daily habit

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Speak

    Max tier adds AI roleplay and video calls inside a full course.

    Pros

    • Full course path is free
    • Streaks and leagues make daily practice stick
    • Huge choice of languages and courses

    Cons

    • Little explicit grammar teaching
    • Hard to reach advanced levels with it alone
    • Free tier has ads and limits on mistakes
    Visit Duolingo Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Duolingo a good Speak alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Max tier
    Subscription tier above Super
    Checked Oct 25, 2026blog.duolingo.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Super benefits
    Unlimited energy, no ads, personalised review
    Checked Oct 25, 2026blog.duolingo.com(opens source in a new tab)
    AI features
    Video Call and Roleplay (Max)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026blog.duolingo.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Max availability
    188 countries on iOS and Android
    Checked Oct 25, 2026blog.duolingo.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Speak alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Praktika logo

Best Speak alternative for most people

Praktika

AI avatar tutors for conversation practice at a similar price.

Duolingo logo

Best Speak alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Duolingo

Max tier adds AI roleplay and video calls inside a full course.

Cambly logo

Best Speak alternative for iPhone and Android

Cambly

Talk to real native English speakers on demand.

italki logo

Best Speak alternative for working in the browser

italki

Book affordable human tutors for real conversation.

Speak alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Speak?

Praktika ranks first right now. AI avatar tutors for conversation practice at a similar price. Cambly and italki follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Speak?

Yes. Praktika (free plan + paid) and Duolingo (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Speak?

None of the 5 alternatives in this list is open source.

Why do people switch from Speak?

The complaints we hear most: only a handful of languages; subscription required after the trial; AI feedback can miss nuance.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Speak, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.