# Busuu vs EF Hello Speak

The clearest difference is ads: EF Hello Speak at none against Busuu's shown. EF Hello Speak also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). Busuu's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (101K vs 9.5K). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Busuu sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and EF Hello Speak sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 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 EF Hello Speak. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Busuu has 101K ratings behind it against 9.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Busuu's written reviews are positive against 88% of EF Hello Speak's.

Busuu ships an update every 8 days, EF Hello Speak every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Busuu | EF Hello Speak |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (101K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/busuu-language-learning-app/id379968583/reviews) | **[4.8 (9.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ef-hello-speak-learn-english/id1324622665/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **101K** | 9.5K |
| Positive reviews | 85.5% of reviews | **88.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#73** | — |
| Size | 268 MB | 124 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Busuu Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/370806574) | [Signum International AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1197105708) |

## What reviewers say

### Busuu

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

**Currently charting:** #73 Top Grossing · Education, #119 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Master a new language with interactive lessons and feedback from native speakers. This app offers structured courses, personalized study plans, and official certificates to boost your communication skills for travel, career, or personal growth.

**Highlights:** Learn up to 14 languages, Connect with native speakers, Expert-designed online courses, Personalized Study Plan, 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


### EF Hello Speak

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ef-hello-speak-learn-english/id1324622665)

Practice English conversation with an AI tutor that provides instant feedback on pronunciation, grammar, and fluency. Engage in short, personalized lessons designed for real-life scenarios, helping you build confidence for work, study, or travel.

**Highlights:** AI English Tutor (Addi), Real-time pronunciation and grammar feedback, Bite-sized 5-minute learning sessions, Personalized learning paths, Pronunciation Coach, Grammar Checker, Immersive listening exercises

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 month access | $9.99 | per month |
| 3 months access | $38.99 | per 3 months |
| 3 months premium | $38.99 | per 3 months |
| 6 months access | $48.99 | per 6 months |
| Annual access | $55.99 | per year |
| Annual Pro access | $55.99 | per year |
| Annual premium | $59.00 | per year |
| 1 Year Access | $79.99 | per year |
| 1 year Hello Pro | $79.99 | per year |
| 1 year premium | $84.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Engaging and easy to use
- 🚀 Intuitive AI features
- 💡 Practical real-life scenarios
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 👍 Helpful for improving language skills

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Subscription required for full access
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance with voice recognition
- 🐛 Inability to review past lessons
- 🐛 Clunky interactions and meaningless quizzes
- 🐛 Lack of language selection options

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing issues when trying to access lessons
- Inability to change language settings
- Inconsistent behavior between app versions

**Requested features**

- More language options beyond English, Spanish, French, and German
- Improved voice recognition and feedback
- Better lesson review functionality
- Customizable difficulty levels
- Offline mode for lessons


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Busuu free?

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

### Is EF Hello Speak free?

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

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

EF Hello Speak is rated higher. Busuu averages 4.7 out of 5 from 101K ratings, while EF Hello Speak averages 4.8 from 9.5K ratings.

### Do Busuu or EF Hello Speak have ads?

Busuu shows ads; EF Hello Speak does not.

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

Busuu ships an update every 8 days, and EF Hello Speak every 3 weeks. Most recently, Busuu was updated on November 6, 2026 and EF Hello Speak on November 6, 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.*