# italki vs RuneKeys

The clearest difference is price: italki at Free against RuneKeys's $3.99. italki also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.0) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). RuneKeys's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

italki is free to download; RuneKeys costs $3.99 up front. italki sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. RuneKeys asks for nothing beyond the download.

italki holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: italki has 9.9K ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of italki's written reviews are positive against 79% of RuneKeys's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

italki ships an update weekly, RuneKeys every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | italki | RuneKeys |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (9.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/italki-language-learning/id1140000003/reviews)** | [4.0 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runekeys/id1503915770/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **9.9K** | 18 |
| Positive reviews | 67.8% of reviews | **78.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 307 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **13.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [italki HK Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/569299241) | [Pierre Bongen](https://appshunter.io/developer/436144429) |

## What reviewers say

### italki

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/italki-language-learning/id1140000003)

Connect with qualified native teachers for personalized language lessons. Learn Spanish, English, French, and over 150 other languages at your own pace and schedule. Practice conversation, master grammar, and immerse yourself in new cultures.

**Highlights:** Private tutoring with native teachers, Learn over 150 languages, Customizable lesson plans, Flexible class scheduling, Pay-as-you-go pricing, Video call tutoring

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| italki Plus - 1 Month | $5.99 | per month |
| Plus Monthly Plan with Trial | $5.99 | per month |
| italki Plus - 1 Year | $59.99 | per year |
| Plus Yearly Plan with Trial | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great platform to connect with native speakers
- 🚀 Flexible scheduling and easy to use
- 💰 Affordable lessons
- 🎓 Helpful for improving language skills
- 🤝 Positive learning experience with great teachers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with glitches and connectivity issues
- 💳 Concerns about pricing changes and fees
- 🕰️ Unreliable teachers who cancel or don't show up
- 🤖 Poor customer service and lack of support
- 📆 Difficulty with scheduling and calendar integration

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes
- Inaccurate teacher availability information
- Issues with login and account management
- Problems with video/audio quality during lessons
- Syncing and integration problems with other platforms

**Requested features**

- Improved calendar and scheduling functionality
- Better notification system for lessons
- Ability to search for and connect with language partners
- More transparency around teacher availability and cancellations
- Streamlined payment and refund process


### RuneKeys

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runekeys/id1503915770)

This app offers custom keyboards for writing in various runic alphabets, including Elder Futhark and Anglo-Saxon Futhork. It supports transcribing English and German, with additional characters and symbols available through press-and-hold gestures.

**Highlights:** Elder Futhark keyboards, Anglo-Saxon Futhork keyboards, English and German transcription, Extended characters via press-and-hold, No user accounts or personal data collection

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is italki free?

italki is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is RuneKeys free?

RuneKeys costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, italki or RuneKeys?

italki is rated higher. italki averages 4.8 out of 5 from 9.9K ratings, while RuneKeys averages 4.0 from 18 ratings.

### Do italki or RuneKeys have ads?

italki shows ads; RuneKeys does not.

### Which is updated more often, italki or RuneKeys?

italki ships an update weekly, and RuneKeys every 2 months. Most recently, italki was updated on October 21, 2026 and RuneKeys on October 4, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*