It's close: Busuu edges it 8.1 to 8.0, so the right pick depends on what you need. Busuu wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Speak on 2.
Learners who want structured, level-based courses with real feedback
Learners who understand a language but freeze up when it is time to speak
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Busuu | Speak |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning | Learning |
| Category rank | #9 of 12 | #12 of 12 |
| Developer | Busuu Limited | Speakeasy Labs |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Subscription |
| Usable for free | Yes | No |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | — |
Common questions
Is Busuu better than Speak?
It's close: Busuu edges it 8.1 to 8.0, so the right pick depends on what you need. Busuu wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Speak on 2.
Which is cheaper, Busuu or Speak?
Busuu: Free lessons with ads; Premium and Premium Plus are priced by region and plan length. Speak: 7-day trial; Premium from $17.99/month or $83.99/year on the App Store. On value for money, Busuu scores higher.
Do Busuu and Speak work on the same devices?
Only Busuu runs on Web.
Which is more private, Busuu or Speak?
Speak scores higher on privacy (6.7/10). App Store label says contact info, IDs and usage data may be used to track you across other companies' apps; your audio and other content are linked to you. No ads in the app.
Strengths and weaknesses
Busuu
- Structured lessons that explain the grammar
- Real people check your writing and speaking
- Courses go all the way up to advanced levels
- The free plan is limited and shows ads
- The best speaking tools need Premium Plus
- Only 14 languages
Busuu feels more like a real course than a game. Lessons follow clear levels from beginner up to advanced, and fluent speakers in the Busuu community can check your writing and speaking. A Study Plan fits lessons around your week, Smart Review gathers the words and grammar you've learned for practice, and Premium Plus adds AI conversation practice. It covers 14 languages. The free plan is limited and shows ads, and prices vary a lot.
Full Busuu review
Speak
- Gets you speaking out loud from the first lesson
- Open-ended AI chats feel close to a real tutor
- Low-pressure practice without a human audience
- Little free use beyond a 7-day trial
- Weak on reading, writing and long-term vocabulary review
- The newest AI tutor features need the pricier Premium Plus
Speak is built for the hardest part of learning a language: actually talking. You repeat phrases, then hold open conversations with an AI tutor that corrects your pronunciation and phrasing, and new tutor calls let you chat about anything. It is great for getting past the fear of speaking. The catch: no free use beyond a trial, thin reading and vocabulary review, and some ad tracking. Pair it with a structured course.
Full Speak review
