# Busuu vs HelloTalk

Busuu and HelloTalk both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 85% of Busuu's written reviews are positive against 36% of HelloTalk's. HelloTalk's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 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 HelloTalk sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 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 4.6 for HelloTalk. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 101K and 44K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Busuu's written reviews are positive against 36% of HelloTalk's.

Busuu ships an update weekly, HelloTalk fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Busuu | HelloTalk |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (101K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/busuu-language-learning-app/id379968583/reviews)** | [4.6 (44K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hellotalk-language-learning/id557130558/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **101K** | 44K |
| Positive reviews | **85.4% of reviews** | 36.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #80 | **#31** |
| Size | 267 MB | 753 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Busuu Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/370806574) | [HELLOTALK FOREIGN LANGUAGE EXCHANGE LEARNING TALK CHAT APP](https://appshunter.io/developer/557130561) |

## What reviewers say

### Busuu

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

**Currently charting:** #80 Top Grossing · Education, #133 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


### HelloTalk

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hellotalk-language-learning/id557130558)

**Currently charting:** #31 Top Grossing · Education, #69 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Practice languages with native speakers through chat, voice, and live events. Connect with locals worldwide to improve fluency and cultural understanding. Features include translation tools, instant captions, and interactive Voicerooms.

**Highlights:** Practice with native speakers, Live video lessons, Interactive Voicerooms, Translation tools, Instant captions, Global community, Cultural insights

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly auto-renewal VIP | $12.99 | per month |
| VIP Membership Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| VIP Membership Yearly | $79.99 | per year |
| VIP Membership | $79.99 | per year |
| VIP Membership Yearly | $79.99 | per year |
| 8 HT Coins | $0.29 | one-time |
| 64 HT Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| 324 HT Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 649 HT Coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| Pro Membership (3 Months) | $29.99 | one-time |
| 3249 HT Coins | $49.99 | one-time |
| 10334 HT Coins | $149.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app for language learning
- 👍 Helpful features like translation and correction
- 💡 Ability to connect with native speakers
- 🤝 Friendly and supportive community
- 🌍 Exposure to different cultures

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 💰 Overly aggressive monetization
- 🔒 Concerns about privacy and censorship
- 🚫 Difficulty changing account details
- 🤖 Issues with bots and fake accounts

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing messages and chat history
- Inability to create new accounts on same device
- Inconsistent app performance across platforms
- Incorrect language detection and translation
- Unexpected account suspensions or bans

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Improve messaging and notification features
- Allow more flexibility in language settings
- Enhance moderation and reporting systems
- Provide better customer support channels


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Busuu free?

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

### Is HelloTalk free?

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

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

Busuu is rated higher. Busuu averages 4.7 out of 5 from 101K ratings, while HelloTalk averages 4.6 from 44K ratings.

### Do Busuu or HelloTalk have ads?

Both Busuu and HelloTalk show ads.

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

Busuu ships an update weekly, and HelloTalk fortnightly. Most recently, Busuu was updated on September 24, 2026 and HelloTalk on September 24, 2026.

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

Busuu currently peaks at #80 in the App Store charts, and HelloTalk at #31. 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.*