Nov
28
- by Dhruv Ainsley
- 0 Comments
English Speaking Practice App Selector
Find Your Perfect English Speaking App
Answer a few questions to get personalized recommendations based on your goals and challenges.
How It Works
This tool analyzes your answers and matches them with the best English speaking apps from the article based on your specific needs.
Your Recommended App
If you’re trying to get better at speaking English, you’re not alone. Millions of people around the world use apps to build confidence, fix pronunciation, and hold real conversations. But not all apps are created equal. Some focus on grammar drills. Others give you robotic chatbots that never really listen. The best apps for English speaking practice? They make you talk - and give you real feedback, real people, and real progress.
Why speaking is harder than reading or listening
Most English learners can understand a movie or read a news article. But put them in front of a native speaker, and everything freezes. Why? Because speaking isn’t just vocabulary. It’s timing. It’s pronunciation. It’s thinking in real time while your brain scrambles to find the right word. Apps that only show flashcards or multiple-choice quizzes won’t fix this. You need tools that force you to produce language - not just recognize it.
Think of it like learning to ride a bike. Watching someone else ride won’t help you balance. You need to get on the bike, wobble, fall, and try again. The same goes for speaking. You need apps that give you space to speak, correct your mistakes, and push you past comfort.
ELSA Speak: Your AI pronunciation coach
ELSA Speak stands out because it doesn’t just listen - it analyzes your speech down to the phoneme. It uses speech recognition trained on thousands of native English accents to spot exactly where you’re mispronouncing words. Say "thirteen" and it picks up if you’re saying "thirdeen" or "sirteen." Then it shows you a visual waveform of your voice compared to a native speaker’s.
It’s not flashy. No games. No cartoon animals. Just focused, science-backed feedback. You get daily 5-minute lessons targeting your weakest sounds - like the difference between "v" and "w," or the silent "t" in "water." After 30 days, users in a 2024 study by the University of Melbourne reported a 42% improvement in intelligibility scores. That’s not magic. That’s repetition with precision.
Best for: People who struggle with being understood. If you’ve ever had someone say, "Can you repeat that?" - this app will help.
Speaky: Talk to real people, not bots
There’s a reason language exchange apps like Speaky still work: real humans are unpredictable. And that’s exactly what you need. Speaky connects you with native English speakers who want to learn your language. You chat via voice or video. No scripts. No prompts. Just conversation.
You might start with, "What did you have for breakfast?" and end up talking about soccer, immigration, or your favorite movie. The key? You’re not graded. There’s no score. You just talk. And because your partner wants to learn your language too, they’re patient. They’ll slow down. They’ll rephrase. They’ll wait.
Unlike apps that charge $30/hour for tutors, Speaky is free. You give 30 minutes, you get 30 minutes. It’s fair. It’s human. And it’s the closest thing to being in a real English-speaking environment without leaving your home.
Best for: Learners who want to build fluency through real conversation, not perfect grammar.
HelloTalk: Social learning with correction tools
HelloTalk feels like a mix between a language exchange app and a social network. You post voice messages. People reply with voice or text. You can correct each other’s writing with a tap - highlight a word, and it adds a correction. The app even translates your messages if you’re stuck.
What makes HelloTalk special is its community. There are millions of users. You can join groups based on interests - like "English for Business" or "Travel English." You might find someone in Toronto who loves hiking and wants to learn Hindi. You talk about trails. They talk about curry. You learn phrases you’ll actually use.
It’s also great for overcoming fear. If you’re nervous about speaking, start by sending a voice note. No pressure to reply immediately. Listen to others. Mimic their rhythm. Then try again. Over time, you’ll notice your voice sounds more natural.
Best for: People who learn better through interaction, not instruction.
Preply: Tutors who adapt to your goals
If you want structure, accountability, and personalized feedback, Preply connects you with certified English tutors. Unlike big platforms that push generic lessons, here you pick your tutor based on their teaching style, availability, and reviews.
Some tutors specialize in job interviews. Others focus on casual conversation or accent reduction. One tutor I spoke with in Sydney works with nurses preparing for the OET. Another helps students write university essays. You tell them your goal. They build the lesson around it.
Lessons are 25 or 50 minutes. You can record them. Review them later. Most tutors give you homework - not worksheets, but speaking tasks like "record yourself describing your last vacation" or "practice asking for directions in a store."
It’s not cheap. Prices range from $5 to $25/hour. But if you’re serious about speaking, investing in one session a week can cut months off your learning curve.
Best for: Learners who want structured, goal-oriented practice with expert feedback.
Speechling: Record, compare, and improve
Speechling is simple. You hear a sentence. You repeat it. Then you record yourself. A native speaker listens and gives you a detailed audio or text feedback - not just "good job," but "you dropped the /t/ sound in 'better' - try this way."
You can do this with over 1,000 real-life phrases: ordering coffee, asking for help, giving opinions. The app tracks your progress over time. You can replay your first recording from three weeks ago and hear how much clearer you sound now.
It’s free to start. For $10/month, you get unlimited feedback and access to themed packs like "Workplace English" or "Small Talk at Parties." The feedback comes from real people - not AI - which means you get nuances you can’t get from algorithms.
Best for: Learners who want to hear their own progress and fix subtle pronunciation issues.
How to choose the right app for you
There’s no single "best" app. It depends on what you need right now.
- If you’re embarrassed to speak out loud - start with ELSA Speak to build confidence in your pronunciation.
- If you want to talk about real life - use Speaky or HelloTalk to connect with real people.
- If you’re preparing for a test, job, or presentation - try Preply for targeted coaching.
- If you want to hear your own improvement - use Speechling to track your voice over time.
You don’t need all of them. Pick one that matches your biggest hurdle. Use it for 10 minutes a day. That’s all it takes. Consistency beats intensity every time.
What not to do
Don’t waste time on apps that promise "fluency in 30 days." They’re marketing, not learning. Don’t rely on chatbots that give robotic answers. They don’t understand context. Don’t avoid speaking because you’re afraid of mistakes. Every error is data. It tells you what to work on.
Also, don’t switch apps every week. You need time to see results. Give any app at least 30 days before deciding it’s not for you. Progress in speaking is slow - but it’s real.
Real progress looks like this
Not perfect grammar. Not a British accent. Not knowing every word.
Real progress is:
- Asking a barista to repeat your order without panicking.
- Laughing at a joke in a movie because you understood the pun.
- Getting a text back from an English-speaking friend that says, "You sound so natural!"
That’s the goal. Not perfection. Progress.
Can I practice English speaking for free?
Yes. Apps like Speaky, HelloTalk, and Speechling offer strong free versions. You can get real conversation and feedback without paying. ELSA Speak gives you 5 free lessons a day. The key is consistency - 10 minutes daily is better than two hours once a week.
Is it better to use an app or a tutor?
Both help, but in different ways. Apps are great for daily practice, pronunciation drills, and building confidence. Tutors give you personalized feedback, correct your mistakes in context, and adapt to your goals. For fastest results, combine both: use an app daily and book one tutor session a week.
How long until I notice improvement?
If you practice speaking for 10-15 minutes every day, you’ll start noticing changes in 2-4 weeks. You’ll feel less nervous. You’ll understand more in conversations. After 3 months, people will stop asking you to repeat yourself. The key isn’t how long you study - it’s how often you speak.
Do I need to be good at grammar to speak well?
No. Most native speakers don’t think about grammar when they talk. They use patterns, not rules. Focus on being understood, not perfect. You can fix grammar later. Speaking fluently comes first. The more you speak, the more your brain naturally picks up correct structures.
What if I’m too shy to speak out loud?
Start by recording yourself alone. Use ELSA Speak or Speechling to speak into your phone. Listen back. Don’t judge - just notice. Then try speaking to a friend in your native language in English. Gradually, you’ll get used to hearing your own voice. Shyness fades with repetition, not courage.
Next steps
Don’t wait for the perfect app. Pick one today. Open it. Speak for five minutes. Don’t worry if it sounds bad. That’s the point. You’re not trying to sound like a news anchor. You’re trying to sound like yourself - in English.
Set a reminder: every day at 7 a.m. or 8 p.m., open your app and speak. After 30 days, check your recordings. You’ll be surprised how far you’ve come.
Dhruv Ainsley
I am an education specialist with a focus on international educational systems, particularly in India. I enjoy exploring how educational practices can be improved to foster better learning environments. Writing about such topics allows me to share insights and encourage meaningful discussions. My work seeks to inspire educational reforms that prioritize inclusive and quality learning experiences.
