Comparison

HelloTalk vs Match Lingo Language Learning

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

HelloTalk

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
Read full description

Practice languages with native speakers on HelloTalk! We recently introduced HelloTalk Live and Voiceroom - interactive language and culture events to help you master languages through the content you love! HelloTalk, the original language exchange app, connects you with native speakers to practice languages (English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, German, Italian, Russian, Arabic, Turkish, Hindi, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese and 260+ more) for FREE! HelloTalk equips you with learning tools such as translation and instant captions so you can learn by chatting with native speakers. Learn languages from locals around the world through livestreams and Voicerooms. Connect with expert hosts to discuss interesting topics with language partners in the learning community! Why HelloTalk? ► Real language learning atmosphere Whether you're focused on a widely spoken language or a less common one, HelloTalk caters to your needs. The system smartly matches you based on your native language and proficiency, while allowing you to filter ideal language partners according to various criteria such as age, location, and gender. Plus, with built-in translation and transliteration tools, you can communicate confidently without any language barriers. ► A powerful tool for sharpening your language skills Acquiring new words through conversations with native speakers is more effective than rigid memorization. Whether you're a student preparing for exams like the CET, GRE, TOEFL, IELTS, planning to study abroad, or a professional seeking career advancement through language skills, HelloTalk offers native speakers who match your proficiency level for engaging interactions and valuable learning experiences. ► Immersive multi-person language chat rooms If you choose to learn Spanish, for example, every Voiceroom you enter on HelloTalk gathers Spanish learners and Spanish native speakers from around the world to discuss interesting topics. Here, only your voice needs to be heard, creating a comfortable, introvert-friendly atmosphere. Here, sharing mutual interests allows everyone to freely express themselves and share personal experiences, fostering both language intuition and authentic expression skills. It's incredibly addictive! ► Diverse global Livestreams HelloTalk features handpicked foreign language hosts who offer online video lessons, share language insights, and provide glimpses into their lives abroad. You can even join them on stage for one-on-one video conversations with fellow language learners. Whether you're grappling with pronunciation, speaking speed, or shyness, these hosts will assist you in refining your language skills and guiding the conversation. For rapid improvement in spoken language, there's no substitute for direct communication with native speakers! ► International Moments HelloTalk's Moments offers real-time posts covering learning, lifestyle, and cultural insights from around the world. It's your ticket to discovering fresh perspectives and gaining deeper insights into diverse cultural customs, all from the comfort of your home. Don't forget to engage with posts that catch your interest! What the world is saying about HelloTalk “One of the best apps to help you learn a new language.” - 9to5Mac "When you're ready to experiment with a foreign language, HelloTalk provides an excellent opportunity for interaction with other speakers." –PCMag START PRACTICING LANGUAGES RIGHT AWAY!!! Learn more about the HelloTalk app: - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hellotalk/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/hellotalkapp Send any feedback to support@hellotalk.com - Privacy Policy: https://www.hellotalk.com/privacy-policy - Terms of Use: https://www.hellotalk.com/terms-of-service

About

Match Lingo Language Learning

This app uses a fun card-matching game to help children learn to speak, read, and write new languages like Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese. It offers customizable learning experiences with a vast card collection, writing practice, and adjustable difficulty levels.

Highlights
  • Card matching game for language learning
  • Learn Spanish, Japanese, Chinese
  • Hundreds of curated words and phrases
  • Create custom cards
  • Introduction to writing characters
  • Adjustable difficulty levels
  • Multiplayer mode
Read full description

MATCH LINGO BY SMUSHY DUSHY STUDIOS An entertaining card matching game that teaches your child to speak, read and write a new language. Learning a new language can be daunting task for anyone let alone a child, but it doesn’t have to be. Learning to speak, read and write Spanish, Japanese or Chinese (Traditional or Simplified) can be a blast with Match Lingo! You’ll quickly forget you're learning a new language as you’ll be having too much fun playing an exciting, yet educational game.  LEARN HUNDREDS OF WORDS WITH OUR CAREFULLY CURATED CARD COLLECTION Learn to say and recognize hundreds of words and phrases using our carefully curated card categories, such as Animals, Body Parts, Colors, Fruits & Veggies, Nature, Numbers, Occupations, Shapes, Vehicles, Verbs, Food, Home Items and Questions. We constantly update and add new categories so there’s always something new to learn. CREATE YOUR OWN CARDS FOR A CUSTOM LEARNING EXPERIENCE Personalize your child’s learning experience by creating your own cards. For example, you can add a custom category called Friends and Family and add cards featuring relatives, parents, friends and pets. The learning opportunities are endless. Simply type in the English word or phrase, tap the translate button, and choose a picture from your device. Record yourself saying the word or use our automated voice. It’s that easy! AN INTRODUCTION TO WRITING Introduce your child to writing a new language using the proper stroke order. (Available for some Japanese and Chinese characters) CUSTOMIZE THE DIFFICULTY LEVELS TO KEEP YOUR CHILD CHALLENGED As your child progresses, the games become more challenging and the learning accelerates. Match Mode is a traditional card matching game for word recognition. List Mode is a more challenging game requiring the player to match a word with the picture. Achievements and leaderboards help track progress of your child's development. Game sizes and the number of cards can be increased for a more challenging learning experience.   PERSONALIZED FEATURES All of the features within the game are customizable including whether you wish to learn Japanese, Spanish, Simplified Chinese or Traditional Chinese. You can choose whether you want to show pronunciations, English definitions or not. Use our recommended settings or customize the experience for you and your child. MULTIPLAYER: FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY Have your child play with you, their siblings or friends for a fun and competitive learning experience. MENUS AND INSTRUCTIONS AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES For those learning English as a second language, we offer instructions and menus in Japanese, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified) and Spanish. We are constantly adding new languages! Download MatchLingo today! MatchLingo®, Smushy Dushy Studios are registered trademarks and/or copyrights of Smushy Dushy Studios LLC. © 2022 Smushy Dushy Studios LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy http://smushydushy.com/privacy-policy/ User agreement https://smushydushy.com/terms-of-use/ Frequently Asked Questions / Support http://smushydushy.com/support/ Suggestions http://smushydushy.com/suggestionbox/

Screenshots

HelloTalk4 screens
Match Lingo Language Learning4 screens

Verdict

The call

HelloTalk and Match Lingo Language Learning both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Match Lingo Language Learning's written reviews are positive against 36% of HelloTalk's. Match Lingo Language Learning also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). HelloTalk's advantage is ratings volume (44K vs 7) and chart position (#39 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. HelloTalk sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month and Match Lingo Language Learning sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

HelloTalk holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HelloTalk has 44K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 36% of HelloTalk's written reviews are positive against 100% of Match Lingo Language Learning's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and June 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
HelloTalk versus Match Lingo Language Learning: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHelloTalkMatch Lingo Language Learning
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (44K ratings) — better4.4 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews36.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings44K — better7
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#39 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size753 MB202 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperHELLOTALK FOREIGN LANGUAGE EXCHANGE LEARNING TALK CHAT APPSmushy Dushy Studios LLC

Customer experience

HelloTalk

All ratings43,831 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral2.7%
Negative6.4%
Written reviews2,556 reviews
Positive36.1%
Neutral11.9%
Negative52.0%

Match Lingo Language Learning

All ratings7 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral28.6%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

HelloTalk

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

Match Lingo Language Learning

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

12 purchases

HelloTalk

Subscriptions5
  • Monthly auto-renewal VIP$12.991 Month
  • VIP Membership Monthly$12.991 Month
  • VIP Membership Yearly1 Year trial$79.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • VIP Membership$79.991 Year
  • VIP Membership Yearly3 Days trial$79.991 Year
One-time7
  • 8 HT Coins$0.29
  • 64 HT Coins$0.99
  • 324 HT Coins$4.99
Show 4 more
  • 649 HT Coins$9.99
  • Pro Membership (3 Months)$29.99
  • 3249 HT Coins$49.99
  • 10334 HT Coins$149.99
1 purchases

Match Lingo Language Learning

Subscriptions1
  • Monthly Subscription$1.991 Month

Questions

Is HelloTalk free?
HelloTalk is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Match Lingo Language Learning free?
Match Lingo Language Learning is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, HelloTalk or Match Lingo Language Learning?
HelloTalk is rated higher. HelloTalk averages 4.6 out of 5 from 44K ratings, while Match Lingo Language Learning averages 4.4 from 7 ratings.
Do HelloTalk or Match Lingo Language Learning have ads?
HelloTalk shows ads; Match Lingo Language Learning does not.
Which is updated more often, HelloTalk or Match Lingo Language Learning?
HelloTalk ships an update fortnightly, and Match Lingo Language Learning fortnightly. Most recently, HelloTalk was updated on September 29, 2026 and Match Lingo Language Learning on June 3, 2026.

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