# HelloTalk vs Cake

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Cake at 90% against HelloTalk's 36%. Cake also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6). HelloTalk's advantage is chart position (#21 vs unranked). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HelloTalk sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month and Cake sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $15.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Cake holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 44K and 16K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of HelloTalk's written reviews are positive against 90% of Cake's.

HelloTalk ships an update fortnightly, Cake every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 11, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | HelloTalk | Cake |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (44K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hellotalk-language-learning/id557130558/reviews) | **[4.9 (16K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cake-learn-english-and-korean/id1350420987/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **44K** | 16K |
| Positive reviews | 35.9% of reviews | **90.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#21** | — |
| Size | 757 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [HELLOTALK FOREIGN LANGUAGE EXCHANGE LEARNING TALK CHAT APP](https://appshunter.io/developer/557130561) | [Cake Company Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1542303925) |

## What reviewers say

### HelloTalk

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

**Currently charting:** #21 Top Grossing · Education, #46 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Connect with native speakers worldwide to practice languages through chat, voice rooms, and live streams. Utilize built-in translation and caption tools to overcome language barriers and enhance your learning experience.

**Highlights:** Practice with native speakers, Live streams and voice rooms, Built-in translation and captions, Smart partner matching, International Moments feed, Interactive language events

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly auto-renewal VIP | $12.99 | per month |
| VIP Membership Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| 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 |
| 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


### Cake

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cake-learn-english-and-korean/id1350420987)

Master English and Korean by learning from videos featuring K-pop stars, K-dramas, and vloggers. This app offers daily lessons, AI pronunciation feedback, and structured paths from beginner to advanced levels. Practice real-world expressions and slang to speak like a native.

**Highlights:** Learn from K-pop and K-drama content, AI pronunciation coach, Real-world expressions and slang, Daily expression clips, Structured learning paths, Fun quizzes for revision

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cake Plus | $15.99 | per month |
| Cake Plus | $74.99 | per year |
| Cake Plus | $84.99 | per year |
| Cake Plus | $84.99 | per year |
| Cake Plus Family | $119.99 | per year |
| Class | $9.99 | one-time |
| Class | $11.99 | one-time |
| Class | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to learn
- 🚀 Helpful for beginners
- 💡 Fun and engaging way to learn
- 👍 Personalized learning experience
- 👍 Useful for learning Korean and English

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited access to full features without premium subscription
- 🐛 Some issues with voice recognition
- 🐛 Occasional glitches or bugs
- 🔒 Ads can be intrusive

**Reported bugs**

- App not opening or crashing for some users
- Issues with voice recording not working properly

**Requested features**

- Space repetition feature
- More advanced vocabulary and grammar lessons
- Longer video lessons
- Night mode option
- Ability to save more phrases


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HelloTalk free?

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

### Is Cake free?

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

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

Cake is rated higher. HelloTalk averages 4.6 out of 5 from 44K ratings, while Cake averages 4.9 from 16K ratings.

### Do HelloTalk or Cake have ads?

Both HelloTalk and Cake show ads.

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

HelloTalk ships an update fortnightly, and Cake every 3 weeks. Most recently, HelloTalk was updated on November 11, 2026 and Cake on November 11, 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.*