# Busuu vs Speak

Busuu and Speak both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 85% of Busuu's written reviews are positive against 66% of Speak's. Speak's advantage is chart position (#19 vs #87) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Busuu sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Speak sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Busuu against 4.8 for Speak. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 101K and 62K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Busuu's written reviews are positive against 66% of Speak's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Busuu | Speak |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (101K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/busuu-language-learning-app/id379968583/reviews) | **[4.8 (62K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speak-language-learning/id1286609883/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **101K** | 62K |
| Positive reviews | **85.4% of reviews** | 65.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #87 | **#19** |
| Size | 267 MB | 246 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Busuu Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/370806574) | [Speakeasy Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1181737551) |

## What reviewers say

### Busuu

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/busuu-language-learning-app/id379968583)

**Currently charting:** #87 Top Grossing · Education, #129 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Learn new languages through bite-sized lessons and interactive exercises. Connect with native speakers for feedback and practice, and track your progress with personalized study plans and official certificates.

**Highlights:** Learn up to 14 languages, Connect with native speakers, Expert-designed courses, Personalized study plans, Smart review for vocabulary and grammar, Official language certificates, Specialized courses

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $6.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Plan | $23.49 | per month |
| 12 Months Premium | $70.00 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $79.99 | per year |
| 14 Day Trial - Premium Plus | $89.99 | per year |
| 12 Months' Premium | $138.99 | per year |
| 12 Months Premium | $138.99 | per year |
| 12 Months Premium Plus | $139.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💯 Best resource for learning
- 🎓 Structured lessons and review
- 👥 Helpful community feedback
- 🎨 Engaging visuals and content
- 🗣️ Realistic native speaker audio

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Inconsistent AI-generated corrections
- 🔒 Limited access without premium
- 🔀 Difficulty navigating between lessons
- 📚 Lack of advanced content and review
- 🔊 Issues with audio and pronunciation

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect or missing translations
- Inconsistent lesson progress tracking
- Bugs with voice recognition and feedback

**Requested features**

- Ability to learn multiple languages simultaneously
- More detailed grammar explanations and practice
- Customizable review and flashcard features
- Improved community features and messaging
- Offline access to downloaded lessons


### Speak

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speak-language-learning/id1286609883)

**Currently charting:** #19 Top Grossing · Education, #22 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

This app uses AI to help you improve your speaking fluency in various languages. Engage in simulated conversations, receive instant feedback on pronunciation and intonation, and track your progress to become a confident speaker.

**Highlights:** AI-powered speaking practice, Real-life conversation simulation, Instant pronunciation feedback, Personalized progress tracking, Learn Spanish, French, English, and more, Immersive lessons

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $17.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium | $17.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Plus | $39.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $83.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium | $83.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $99.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium Plus | $164.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent for practicing speaking
- 👍 Customizable and practical content
- 🤖 Helpful AI tutor with good feedback
- 📚 Covers a variety of useful expressions
- 🕰️ Bite-sized lessons for busy schedules

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription cost
- 🤖 Voice recognition can be inaccurate
- 🕰️ Timed lessons feel rushed
- 🔍 Limited language options
- 🐛 Occasional app crashes and bugs

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to record during lessons
- Lesson progress not saving properly
- Subscription issues and billing problems

**Requested features**

- Add more advanced and specialized lessons
- Improve organization of saved content
- Provide offline mode for lessons
- Allow more customization of AI tutor's tone
- Integrate text-to-speech feature


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Busuu free?

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

### Is Speak free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Busuu or Speak?

Speak is rated higher. Busuu averages 4.7 out of 5 from 101K ratings, while Speak averages 4.8 from 62K ratings.

### Do Busuu or Speak have ads?

Both Busuu and Speak show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Busuu or Speak?

Busuu ships an update weekly, and Speak weekly. Most recently, Busuu was updated on September 25, 2026 and Speak on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Busuu or Speak?

Busuu currently peaks at #87 in the App Store charts, and Speak at #19. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*