Best Language Exchange Apps & Websites [UPDATED 2018]

Learning a language is difficult, there are numerous approaches to take and many methods claiming to help you reach fluency faster than the rest. Language exchange is believed to be one of the most effective means of language practice so naturally there exists a huge market for tools and apps to help you find partners and engage in conversation exchange. Some of them are really useful and help you find a partner and start practising quickly, others are a waste of time.

Here we examine 8 of the best mobile apps and 3 popular websites:

Language Exchange Apps:

• Bilingua
• HelloTalk
• Hello Pal
• Tandem
• Idyoma
• Italki
• Speaky
• NiceTalk Tutor

Language Exchange Websites:

• Conversation Exchange
• HelloLingo
• Reddit

LANGUAGE EXCHANGE APPS

Interested in learning Chinese, Korean, or Japanese the fun way? HelloTalk might just be the app that helps you learn non-Latin languages easily. The app will translate character-based languages to readable roman-based languages to help with pronunciation.

HelloTalk connects native speakers with language learners based on nearby location or a specific destination worldwide. The design is quite simple and has a similar look with WhatsApp messenger. Voice-to-text and vice versa functionality enabled language partners to communicate clearly and ensured they learn the language correctly.

Pros: Lots of language learning specific features (especially the premium version).

Cons: Quite a big battery drain when running in the background (if turn off, you won’t be notified when people are interested in speaking with you).  

The world is suddenly a much smaller place with Hello Pal. The voice-based app connects you with a language partner anywhere in the world within minutes.

Using Hello Pal’s filtering and matching abilities, you can find language partner that suits you and start speaking the language right away. To help you initiate conversations, Hello Pal integrated phrasebooks that you can choose, listen, and repeat before sending it to your language partner.

Because of its extensive features, the design and UI of the app can come across overwhelming at first. However, it’s without a doubt a solid language learning mobile app.

Pros: Clever translation tools, built-in phrases to help learn the language, privacy features like user blocking and do-not-disturb hours.

Cons: Confusing UI on the app that can overwhelm user at first, limited language phrasebooks.

Learn to speak a foreign language like a local. You can do that with Tandem and just over a few clicks on your phone.

With Tandem, you can help others who want to learn your language in the same way you can learn to speak and practice a new language with native speakers. The video and voice call functionality makes the learning process more fun and intentional. The design is simplistic but elegant with straightforward tools and features.

If you’re a qualified language learning professional, you can apply to be a Tutor on the app and earn extra cash tutoring students!

Pros: Access to professional tutors, complete in-app features, robust community forums.

Cons: Can feel a little Tinder-ish (by scrolling through a list of age-badged photo profiles).

Hailing from Spain, Idyoma connects people who want to learn a new language in the same geographic area or in the desired travel destination. You can use the app to contact other users, discuss a place, time, and duration with your language partner.

Idyoma has a clean design and very easy to use on its app. In addition, you can also find in-app guides that can help you to have the most successful language exchanges. Meet in real life and learn how to speak like a native!

Pros: Connect with nearby language partners or from afar, verified users badge for more accountability

Cons: Limited in-app features (for chats and set meet-ups only).

Italki serves as a marketplace that connects native language teachers with language learners around the world. Get 1-on-1 personalized and flexible online lessons over 50 languages. Language teachers on Italki can customize each class based on the needs and interests of the learner—there’s no curriculum!

There’s nothing extraordinary about the design on the app, it’s plain and simplistic. The website offers better functionality while the app version is created mainly so that teachers and students can manage their lessons better.  Furthermore, since you’ll be connected with professional language teachers, it costs to learn a new language using italki.

Pros: Trained professional teachers, flexible learning method (learn anytime anywhere), and active community discussions.

Cons: limited mobile apps functionality (sign up not yet available on iOS and Android version only in English)

Speaky is the social way to learn a new language. Similar to other language exchange apps, with Speaky you can easily connect with a language partner who shares your interests and passions anywhere in the world. You can chat or make calls (audio and video) directly from the browser while mobile apps support text and audio messages.

The design on Speaky is easy in the eye and helpful, especially when searching for users on the list. One unique feature from Speaky is the ability to find native speakers or non-native speakers in learning a new language.

Pros: It’s 100% free with no ads, robust filtering options to find the perfect language partner.

Cons: No voice or video calls feature on the mobile apps (browser only), no guided resources available.

This is China’s first mobile English learning platform that pairs students with tutors for one-on-one video chat. Mostly targeted to Chinese users, English language learners have 24/7 access to tutors who speak English natively.

The nice thing about Nicetalk Tutor is the hassle-free process to become an online English teacher. It offers flexible hours and average of $10 pay per hour to be a tutor.

Pros: Simply and easy process to be an online English tutor, flexible schedules and pay by the hour.

Cons: Only available to those who want to speak English, limited functionality (video call only) and no extra features to guide the language learners.

 

LANGUAGE EXCHANGE WEBSITES

 

Now you’ve discovered some of the most awesome mobile apps to learn a new language, what about the old-fashioned online websites? They don’t have a dedicated mobile app and some of them are not even exclusively for language exchange, but it’s definitely worth checking out.

Conversation Exchange simple but resource-packed website has been helping users to learn a new language since 2005. It’s an old school look but still effective nonetheless. You can simply exchange messages with a pen pal who wants to learn a new language using the chat function. You can also find a language partner in your area and arrange for a meetup after connecting through the website. There’s no fees or a specific curriculum involved, just learning the language in a social and interactive environment.

It’s a community-based language exchange website created based on SharedTalk and Livemocha, both were large community-based language learning websites. Come with a modern design and built-in voice and text and voice chat, HelloLingo helps you find a new language partner or reconnect with past Livemocha and SharedTalk members. It’s still in development, and the number of community members is not as big as its predecessors. However, a bungle of new features such as community review, games, and mobile apps are coming in the near future.

Reddit is a forum and community-based discussion website where members can submit contents and vote. It’s a hugely popular platform with more than 500 million monthly visitors in 2016. You can talk about anything on Reddit, including learning a new language. You can ask for translation or discuss a certain topic to improve your language learning. There are many “subreddits” or different language communities that you can join and connect with. As with a typical forum website, Reddit’s design and layout can feel like it’s all over the place and spammy at times, however, it’s one of the most social ways to learn a new language online.

CONCLUSION

 

Okay, you’re reading this on Bilingua’s blog, so it’s obvious we’re going to say that we’re the best! But seriously though, we have been working hard to make sure we can help our users learn a new language in the most fun and efficient way. Learning a new language is not easy, and consistency is key. That’s why we packed the app with smart but entertaining features that can motivate you to master a foreign language with a breeze.

You won’t have to worry about feeling stuck in learning a new language anymore. Feel free to see it for yourself, download Bilingua and let us know what you think!