# HelloTalk vs Drops

HelloTalk and Drops both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 75% of Drops's written reviews are positive against 36% of HelloTalk's. HelloTalk's advantage is chart position (#31 vs #160) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HelloTalk sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month and Drops sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 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 — 4.6 for HelloTalk against 4.7 for Drops. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 44K and 72K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 36% of HelloTalk's written reviews are positive against 75% of Drops's.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | HelloTalk | Drops |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (44K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hellotalk-language-learning/id557130558/reviews) | **[4.7 (72K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drops-language-learning-games/id939540371/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 44K | **72K** |
| Positive reviews | 36.1% of reviews | **74.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#31** | #160 |
| Size | 753 MB | 191 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HELLOTALK FOREIGN LANGUAGE EXCHANGE LEARNING TALK CHAT APP](https://appshunter.io/developer/557130561) | [PLANB LABS OU](https://appshunter.io/developer/527215806) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Drops

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drops-language-learning-games/id939540371)

**Currently charting:** #160 Top Grossing · Education (US App Store)

Learn new languages through engaging games and visual aids. Practice vocabulary and common phrases in over 55 languages, from beginner to expert levels. Track progress, unlock achievements, and enjoy professionally curated lessons with native speaker pronunciations.

**Highlights:** Gamified vocabulary learning, Visual learning aids, 55+ language options, Progress tracking and rewards, Native speaker pronunciations, Customizable learning goals

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Genius for a month | $7.99 | per month |
| Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium | $11.99 | per month |
| Premium | $14.99 | per month |
| Curious for a month | $22.99 | per month |
| Holiday premium! | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium | $62.99 | per year |
| Premium | $69.99 | per year |
| All Language Learning Plans | $69.99 | per year |
| Premium | $79.99 | per year |
| Premium | $89.99 | per year |
| Premium | $99.99 | per year |
| Unlimited time for all Languages! | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Vocabulary learning
- 👍 Unique and engaging learning activities
- 👍 Wide range of languages
- 👍 Customizable learning experience
- 👍 Effective for building vocabulary

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate translations or pronunciations
- 🔒 Subscription model issues
- 👎 Limited to vocabulary, lacks grammar/sentence structure
- 👎 Repetitive and not enough variety in exercises

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and lost progress
- Crashes and performance problems

**Requested features**

- Add more grammar and sentence-level learning
- Improve accuracy of translations and pronunciations
- Provide more flexibility in time limits and review sessions
- Integrate more conversational practice
- Improve user interface and navigation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HelloTalk free?

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

### Is Drops free?

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

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

Drops is rated higher. HelloTalk averages 4.6 out of 5 from 44K ratings, while Drops averages 4.7 from 72K ratings.

### Do HelloTalk or Drops have ads?

Both HelloTalk and Drops show ads.

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

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

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

HelloTalk currently peaks at #31 in the App Store charts, and Drops at #160. 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.*