The best language exchange apps in 2026, compared honestly

These are the language exchange apps and websites worth trying in 2026, grouped by how you want to practice: chatting and calling, slower letters, or a website. Inside each group, apps are in alphabetical order. There are no rankings, scores or star ratings. We make Speakblend, one of the apps on this list, so we label it “our app”, list its weak points like everyone else’s, and link every fact about the other apps to their own websites, help pages or store listings.

Written by Arif Ozgun, founder of Speakblend. We make Speakblend, so we link every fact about other apps to their own websites, help pages or store listings. Facts checked on 14 October 2026.

All apps at a glance

Sort the eight by

Chatting and calling with partners

  • HelloTalkLearning tools and live group practice
  • Speakblend our appVoice practice without a camera, games and long-running friendships
  • SpeakyA free, simple way to meet native speakers
  • TandemCorrections, video calls and a reviewed community

Pen pals and slower exchange

  • InterpalsPen pals, and meeting travelers in your area
  • SlowlySlow, thoughtful letters

Websites for finding a partner

Sorted by calls

Video calls

Calls in a tool you choose

Voice calls, no video

  • Speakblend our appText, voice messages and voice calls (no video calls)

Calls not stated

Sorted by where you use it

Apps and the web

iOS and Android apps

In a browser

Sorted by price

Free, no paid plan listed

Free, with an optional paid plan

Free to join, paid to start a conversation

Sorted by translation

Built in, more with a paid plan

  • HelloTalkBuilt-in; 10 a day free, unlimited with VIP [2]
  • Speakblend our appAny message, a whole chat or your draft; 130+ languages; MAX adds unlimited quality translations
  • TandemIn-app translation; unlimited with Tandem Pro [14] [16]

Inside its voice and video chat

Not stated

Language exchange apps and websites compared. Facts from each app’s own website, help pages or store listing, checked on 14 October 2026. Speakblend facts: from the app, version 3.6.

Bilingua is not in the table. On 14 October 2026 its website no longer loaded and we could not find it in the App Store (see below).

HelloTalk, Tandem and the other app names on this page are trademarks of their owners. Speakblend is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of them.

Speakblend facts: from the app, version 3.6 (October 2026).

How we chose and checked

An app or website is on this list if, on 14 October 2026:

  • it was available on the App Store, Google Play or the web;
  • you could start for free;
  • language exchange or finding a language partner was its main use; and
  • we could check its facts on its own website, help pages or store listing.

We read each app’s own pages and store listings and quote them briefly, with a link. Where an app’s pages do not mention a feature, we write “Not stated on its site” (or “in its listing”) rather than guessing that it is missing. Some websites, including Speaky’s and Slowly’s, did not load for our check, so for those apps we used their App Store and Google Play listings.

We do not give star ratings, scores or a ranking, and we do not repeat anyone’s user numbers, our own included, because we cannot check them. Prices are printed only where an app shows them on its own pages. We re-check every fact every three months; the update log at the end lists what changed.

Speakblend facts come from the app itself, version 3.6 (October 2026).

Apps for chatting and calling with partners

Each entry below uses the same fields in the same order: how you talk, pros, cons, price, platforms and what it is good for, with sources.

HelloTalk

On the board

HelloTalk is a language exchange app where you chat one to one with native speakers and post to Moments, a community feed where you can “share posts, ask questions, and get responses from native speakers” [1].

How you talk

Text chat, voice messages, voice calls and video calls [1] [7]. Voice messages come with speech-to-text and adjustable playback speed [7]. You can also join Voicerooms and Livestreams to practice speaking and listening in a group [1].

Pros

Learning tools built into the chat: translation, pronunciation, transliteration and corrections [1]. Live group practice. A web version for your computer [4], and separate AI apps that work with the same account [4]. Privacy settings let you choose the age range of people who can message you and block chats from people you don’t know [8] [9]. HelloTalk says it covers 260+ languages [1], and it has been on the App Store since 2012 [10].

Cons

Free accounts can use 10 translations a day across the whole app; VIP members get unlimited translations [2]. Searching the whole community by language, country or region is a VIP feature [5]. Some extras, such as subtitles during voice calls, use HelloTalk’s own coins [6].

Price
Free, with optional VIP. VIP removes ads and adds unlimited translations, transliteration and voice-to-text, contact with up to 25 new partners a day, and more [3].
Platforms
iOS, Android and web [4].
Good for
Learners who want corrections and pronunciation help inside the chat, video calls, or live group practice.

Sources [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]

Speakblend

our app

On the board

Speakblend is our app: a free language exchange app built around one-to-one conversation, voice calls and chat games.

How you talk

One-to-one and group text chats, voice messages you can replay at 0.5x to 2x, and voice calls, which are audio only. You can also play 5 games together inside a chat.

Pros

Translation for any message, a whole chat or your own draft, in 130+ languages; feed posts are translated automatically into 40 languages. A Passport records every friendship with stamps from Ink to Prism. Privacy switches for typing, last seen and read receipts, plus quiet hours. The interface comes in 19 languages. No application review or waitlist.

Cons

No video calls. No corrections, pronunciation tools or lessons. No live group audio. No web version. A free account can start 1 chat a day without a match; other chats open when someone accepts your like. Speakblend is new (first released in September 2025) and its community is smaller than older apps’. Profiles are not identity-verified.

Price
Free, with optional MAX (weekly, monthly or yearly), which adds unlimited swiping, unlimited quality translations and 10 chats a day without a match, among other things.
Platforms
iPhone (iOS 15 or later) and Android.
Good for
Speaking practice without a camera, and friendships you keep going with games, voice calls and Passport stamps.

Source: the app, version 3.6 (October 2026).

Speaky

On the board

Speaky is a language exchange app that connects you with native speakers; its listing names more than 170 languages and 195 countries [11]. On the App Store its seller is Altissia International SA [11].

How you talk

Chat with partners [11]. Its current store listing does not describe calls or translation, so we cannot confirm either.

Pros

Free, with no in-app purchases listed on the US App Store or Google Play [11] [12]. A web version at web.speaky.com for a bigger screen [11]. Still updated: version 3.7.1 arrived in September 2026 and added Cantonese [11].

Cons

We could confirm less about Speaky than about the other apps here: its website did not load for our check, and its store listing describes the idea of the app rather than its features.

Price
Free [11] [12].
Platforms
iOS, Android and web [11].
Good for
Trying a simple, free exchange app alongside a bigger one.

Sources [11] [12]

Tandem

On the board

Tandem is a language exchange app, published by Tripod Technology GmbH, that shows you members who speak the language you want to learn and want to learn yours [14] [15].

How you talk

Text, voice notes, audio calls and video calls [13], and Parties, which are group audio spaces [14]. Members also share topics with the community to start conversations [14].

Pros

Message corrections and comments, so partners can help with grammar [14]. Video calls. Search by language, location, interests and more [13]. Tandem reviews every application before you join, which it says keeps the community “safe and fun” [13], and a Community Safety team reviews each report [15]. A web app for messaging, with translation and corrections [16]. English tests with a certificate [18]. Tandem says it covers 300+ languages, including 12 sign languages [14].

Cons

You wait for your application to be reviewed, and some countries occasionally have a waitlist [15]. Calls work only in the mobile app, not on Tandem Web [16]. Unlimited translations, a world map for finding partners and members near you are Tandem Pro features [16] [17].

Price
Free to join, and many features are free; Tandem Pro unlocks the rest, as 1-, 3- or 12-month subscriptions [14] [15].
Platforms
iOS, Android and web (no calls on web) [15] [16].
Good for
Learners who want corrections and video calls, and who do not mind waiting to be accepted.

Sources [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]

Apps for pen pals and slower exchange

Interpals

On the board

Interpals calls itself “the original pen pal site” and has been running since 1998 [19]. It is a community for pen pals, cultural exchange and language exchange.

How you talk

Messages and chat with pen pals and language partners. You can also meet travelers from other countries who are visiting your area [20].

Pros

Free, with no in-app purchases listed on the US App Store [19] [20]. Works on the web as well as in the apps. The site comes in 29 languages and the iPhone app lists 27 [19] [20]. A long track record.

Cons

The pages we checked do not describe calls or translation tools, so plan to use it for writing rather than speaking.

Price
Free [19].
Platforms
Web, iOS and Android [19] [20].
Good for
Pen pals and cultural exchange, and meeting travelers in your city.

Sources [19] [20]

Slowly

On the board

Slowly is a pen-pal app for writing letters. Each letter “takes time to arrive”, from a few hours to a few days, depending on the distance between you [21].

How you talk

Letters only. Slowly’s listing does not describe calls or live chat [21].

Pros

Unlimited letters for free [21]. More than 2,000 stamps to collect from around the world [21]. No photos and no real names [21]: Slowly describes this as a space for people who value privacy. The slower pace gives you time to look up words and write carefully.

Cons

No speaking practice. Replies take hours or days by design, so it is not for quick back-and-forth.

Price
Free, with optional Slowly Plus and coins [21].
Platforms
iOS and Android [21] [22].
Good for
Writers, readers and anyone who wants a thoughtful pen pal in another language.

Sources [21] [22]

Websites for finding a partner

Conversation Exchange

On the board

Conversation Exchange is a website for finding language partners, free of charge [25].

How you talk

Meet native speakers in your area in person, write as pen pals, or use text, voice and video chat in a chat tool you both choose, such as its own ChitChat or Skype [23].

Pros

Free [25]. Built for meeting face to face as well as online [23]. Messages go through the site and your email address is not shown [24]. Spam filters can reject messages from a specific gender or from members who do not match your languages [24].

Cons

Website only (we found no App Store app in a US search). You and your partner agree on a chat tool for calls, which takes a little more setup than an all-in-one app [23]. Optional paid memberships remove ads and messaging limits [25], so a free account has some limits.

Price
Free; optional NOADS and Unlimited memberships. Students with a .edu email address get Unlimited free [25].
Platforms
Website, on desktop and mobile [25].
Good for
Meeting a partner in person in your city, or finding a pen pal.

Sources [23] [24] [25]

MyLanguageExchange

On the board

MyLanguageExchange is a website for language exchange with pen pals, text chat and voice and video chat in the browser, plus lesson plans and a method for running an exchange [26].

How you talk

Email pen pals, text chat, and voice and video chat in Chrome or Safari [26].

Pros

Works on a phone or a computer with no app to download [26]. Its voice and video chat includes speech recognition and inline translation, which it says covers more than 100 languages [26]. Lesson plans give an exchange some structure [26]. Gold membership does not renew automatically [27].

Cons

On a free account you can create a profile, say “Hi!” and reply to members who write to you, but starting a conversation with anyone needs Gold [27].

Price
Free to join; Gold costs US$5.99 for 1 month, US$11.99 for 3 months or US$23.99 for 12 months [27].
Platforms
Any browser-capable phone or computer running Chrome or Safari [26].
Good for
Learners who want structure, and video chat without installing an app.

Sources [26] [27]

Apps you may still see on older lists

Bilingua

Bilingua appears on many older lists of language exchange apps. On 14 October 2026 we could not find it:

  • its website, bilingua.io, answered “410 Gone”, which means the page has been removed [28];
  • we found no Bilingua language exchange app in App Store searches in the US, UK, Germany or Turkey, and the Google Play app with a similar package name is a different app [29];
  • AlternativeTo, a software directory, lists Bilingua as discontinued [30].
Good for
Not available to download on 14 October 2026.
Pros
Not available to check.
Cons
Not available.
If you were looking for it
The apps in the first group above cover the same idea of finding a partner who speaks the language you are learning.

If Bilingua comes back, write to [email protected] and we will check it and add it.

When you want a teacher instead of a partner

A language exchange partner is a peer, not a teacher. If you want structured lessons, a tutor marketplace is a different kind of service. italki, for example, lets you “find your ideal teacher and book a 1-on-1 lesson” with no subscription; lessons are pay as you go and teachers set their own prices [31]. It has a website and an iPhone app [31] [32]. Many learners combine paid lessons with a free exchange app for extra speaking practice. italki is not part of the comparison above because language exchange is not its main use.

Which app should you choose?

Start from what you want to practice:

Video calls
HelloTalk [1], Tandem (in the mobile app) [13] [16] or MyLanguageExchange (in the browser) [26].
Speaking without a camera
Speakblend has voice calls only. HelloTalk [1] and Tandem [13] also have voice calls.
Corrections from your partner
HelloTalk [1] or Tandem [14].
Group speaking practice
HelloTalk’s Voicerooms and Livestreams [1], or Tandem’s Parties [14].
Slow, thoughtful writing
Slowly [21], or Interpals for pen pals [19].
Meeting in person
Conversation Exchange [23], or Interpals for travelers visiting your area [20].
Using a computer
HelloTalk [4], Tandem (messaging only) [16], Speaky [11], Interpals [19], Conversation Exchange [25] and MyLanguageExchange [26] all work on the web. Speakblend is iPhone and Android only.
Games and a record of each friendship
Speakblend.
Starting today, without an application review
Speakblend lets you start after you sign up and add a profile photo; Tandem reviews applications first [15].
A teacher and lessons
A tutor marketplace such as italki [31].

Nothing stops you from using two apps, for example one with corrections and one for voice calls.

Staying safe on any language exchange app

Every app on this list is a place to meet strangers, and no app can promise that everyone is there to learn, ours included. A few habits help everywhere:

  • Keep your address, workplace, phone number and social media accounts to yourself until you trust someone.
  • Keep the conversation inside the app at first. Its report and block tools only work there.
  • Never send money, gift cards or codes to someone you met online, whatever the story.
  • If someone keeps flirting after you say no, asks for photos or makes you uncomfortable, block and report them.
  • If you meet in person, meet in a public place and tell a friend where you are going.
  • Use the privacy settings: hide your exact location and online status if your app allows it.
  • Read each app’s community guidelines and age rules before you join.

For Speakblend’s own tools, step by step, see our safety page.

Frequently asked questions

What is a language exchange app?

A language exchange app connects you with people who speak the language you are learning and want to learn yours. You help each other by chatting, sending voice messages or calling. Most apps add tools such as translation, and some add corrections or group rooms.

Are language exchange apps free?

Every app and website in the comparison is free to start. Most sell an optional subscription: VIP on HelloTalk, Tandem Pro on Tandem, Slowly Plus on Slowly, Gold on MyLanguageExchange and MAX on Speakblend. On MyLanguageExchange, starting a conversation needs Gold [27].

Which language exchange apps have video calls?

HelloTalk [1] and Tandem [13] have video calls (on Tandem, only in the mobile app [16]), and MyLanguageExchange has video chat in the browser [26]. Speakblend has voice calls only. Slowly is letters only [21].

Which ones can I use on a computer?

HelloTalk [4], Tandem [15], Speaky [11], Interpals [19], Conversation Exchange [25] and MyLanguageExchange [26] work on the web. Tandem’s web app does not support calls [16]. Speakblend is available for iPhone and Android only.

Is Bilingua still available?

We could not find it on 14 October 2026. Its website answered “410 Gone”, we found no Bilingua language exchange app in App Store searches in four countries, and AlternativeTo lists it as discontinued [28] [29] [30].

Why is Speakblend on this list if you make it?

Because it is a language exchange app and passes the same rules as the others. We label it “our app”, give it the same fields, list its weak points, such as no video calls and no corrections, and link every fact about other apps to their own pages.

How often is this page updated?

We re-check every fact every three months and note changes in the update log. Is something out of date or wrong? Write to [email protected] and we will check it and correct the page.

Is Speakblend a dating app?

No. Speakblend’s Terms of Service say it is not designed for dating or sexual relationships. It is built for language exchange and friendship.

Sources and update log

We checked every fact on 14 October 2026 on each app’s own website, help pages or store listing, and quote them briefly. Speakblend facts come from the app, version 3.6; its first release date is from Speakblend on the App Store (US), https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6743330612. Is something out of date or wrong? Write to [email protected] and we will check it and correct the page.

HelloTalk

  1. 1HelloTalk home page, hellotalk.com/en
  2. 2HelloTalk FAQ, “Why can I only use translation 10 times a day?”, hellotalk.com/en/faq/hellotalk-basics/265
  3. 3HelloTalk FAQ, “What are the benefits of VIP membership?”, hellotalk.com/en/faq/vip-and-subscriptions/231
  4. 4HelloTalk Download page, hellotalk.com/en/download
  5. 5HelloTalk FAQ, partner search, hellotalk.com/en/faq/partner-matching/225
  6. 6HelloTalk FAQ, subtitles during voice calls, hellotalk.com/en/faq/hellotalk-basics/511
  7. 7HelloTalk, “Chat & Messaging” feature page, hellotalk.com/en/features/chat
  8. 8HelloTalk FAQ, age range of people who can message you, hellotalk.com/en/faq/privacy/1562
  9. 9HelloTalk FAQ, “Block Unknown Chat”, hellotalk.com/en/faq/privacy/222
  10. 10HelloTalk on the App Store (US): first release 2012, apps.apple.com/us/app/id557130558

Speaky

  1. 11Speaky on the App Store (US), apps.apple.com/us/app/id1118877445
  2. 12Speaky on Google Play, play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=appli.speaky.com

Tandem

  1. 13Tandem home page, tandem.net
  2. 14Tandem on the App Store (US), apps.apple.com/us/app/id959001619
  3. 15Tandem FAQ, tandem.net/pages/faq
  4. 16Tandem Web, tandem.net/pages/tandem-web
  5. 17Tandem Pro, tandem.net/pages/pro
  6. 18Tandem Language Certificates, tandem.net/pages/certificates

Interpals

  1. 19Interpals home page, interpals.net
  2. 20Interpals on the App Store (US), apps.apple.com/us/app/id1220469418

Slowly

  1. 21Slowly on the App Store (US), apps.apple.com/us/app/id1199811908
  2. 22Slowly on Google Play, play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.slowlyapp

Conversation Exchange

  1. 23Conversation Exchange home page, conversationexchange.com
  2. 24Conversation Exchange FAQ, conversationexchange.com/sep_files/FAQ.php?lg=en
  3. 25Conversation Exchange membership page, conversationexchange.com/members/membership.php?lg=en

MyLanguageExchange

  1. 26MyLanguageExchange home page, mylanguageexchange.com
  2. 27MyLanguageExchange member FAQ, mylanguageexchange.com/FAQMembers.asp

Bilingua

  1. 28Direct check of bilingua.io on 14 October 2026: “HTTP/1.1 410 Gone”, bilingua.io
  2. 29App Store searches for “bilingua” (US, UK, Germany, Turkey) and Google Play, play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bilingua.app
  3. 30AlternativeTo, Bilingua, alternativeto.net/software/bilingua/about

italki

  1. 31italki home page, italki.com/en
  2. 32italki on the App Store (US), apps.apple.com/us/app/id1140000003

Update log

14 October 2026: first version. Facts checked for every app. Bilingua listed as unavailable. speaky.com and slowly.app did not load for our check; their store listings were used.

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Free on iPhone and Android, with an optional MAX subscription.

HelloTalk, Tandem and the other app names on this page are trademarks of their owners. Speakblend is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of them.