Comparison

Words vs ELSA Speak

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

Head to head
About

Words

Master English and German with engaging exercises and a smart algorithm. Learn new words in just 20 minutes a day with ready-made or custom lessons, a built-in dictionary, and hands-free mode. Track progress and earn rewards to boost fluency.

Highlights
  • 10 unique exercises
  • Ready-made & custom lessons
  • Built-in dictionary & examples
  • Accurate pronunciations
  • Smart learning algorithm
  • Achievements & statistics
  • Offline mode
Features
Read full description

Words - Your Ultimate Language Learning Companion! TOP App of 2014 and Best New App (April 2014) With over 10 years of experience, we've created an app that is motivational, easy to use, and built for your success. Do you want to master a new language quickly and confidently? Trusted by over 3.000.000 users, Words is your best choice for learning English and German. Why Words is the best app: - 10 Unique Exercises: Master specific skills with short and fun lessons. - Ready-made & Custom Lessons: Learn with expert-created lessons or make your own. - Built-In Dictionary & Examples: Get instant translations and see word usage. - Accurate Pronunciations for all words and examples. - Smart Learning Algorithm: Personalised training for faster learning. - Achievements & Statistics: Track progress, earn rewards and stay motivated. - Hands-Free Mode: Learn on the go while shopping, walking, or commuting. - Offline Mode: Study anywhere, even without the internet. - iCloud Sync: Learn across all your devices. - Unlock Your Potential in Just 20 Minutes a Day. Make the most of your free time with Words. Learn new words only 20 minutes a day and boost your language fluency. Improve your language skills. Engaging exercises make learning feel like play. Each session targets skills like listening, spelling, and speaking, while our smart algorithm helps you practice tricky words until you master them. Earn points, win rewards, and see your progress grow! Thematic Blocks. Tailor your learning to what's most relevant right now, from people, food, and health to nature, clothing, and money and many more. Superfood for Your Brain. Join millions of users who are improving their language skills and building strong learning habits. Words is your fastest path to a language fluency. Subscription Information The subscription renews automatically unless auto-renewal is turned off 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage your subscription or turn off auto-renewal in your iTunes account settings. Any unused portion of a free trial period is forfeited upon purchasing a subscription. Support: support@ulilab.com Site: https://ulilab.com Privacy policy: https://ulilab.com/privacy Terms of use: https://ulilab.com/terms

About

ELSA Speak

This AI-powered English tutor helps you practice conversations, improve pronunciation, and build vocabulary for real-life scenarios like job interviews and presentations. It offers personalized learning paths and instant feedback to boost your speaking confidence.

Highlights
  • AI-powered English tutor
  • Conversation practice
  • Pronunciation training
  • Grammar and vocabulary building
  • Personalized learning paths
  • Exam preparation (IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC)
  • Real-time feedback
Features
Read full description

Meet ELSA - Your personal AI-powered English tutor. ELSA Speak is a leading AI-powered language coach designed to help professionals and learners speak English with confidence using our essential AI learning tools and custom learning pathways. If you are looking to learn English to help you engage in real-time speaking scenarios to practice job interviews, presentations, meetings, exam preparations, and more. Reinforce your skills with interactive AI-powered games that make learning engaging and effective. Learn English with 8,000+ lessons, and learn proper pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. Download the best AI-powered English learning app today and start your journey to confident English communication! ELSA SPEAK'S TRUSTED AI LANGUAGE LEARNING APP FEATURES: THE TOP SOLUTION FOR IMPROVING ENGLISH COMMUNICATION & PRONUNCIATION - Learn English with a Career-Specific Focus – Speak English and learn vocabulary that is tailored to your field - Utilize Speech Analyzer - Speak freely with instant detailed feedback. See what you missed and how to fix it. - Interview Coach - Start practicing today to sound sharp, calm, and confident for your next role. - Exam Preparation – Prepare for IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC, EIKEN, CEFR, and more with targeted practice to boost fluency with Elsa’s AI English tutor. Available with ELSA Premium(*). PERSONALIZED LEARNING PATHS FOR ENGLISH PRACTICE - Customized Language Coach - Start learning English today using ELSA Speak’s AI conversation coach, pronunciation coach, and grammar coach. - Personalized language learning – Succeed in workplace interviews, presentations, meetings, client calls, and having daily conversations. - AI-Driven Conversations & Open-Ended Dialogues – AI gives you personalized language learning with realistic conversation practice. REAL-LIFE ENGLISH CONVERSATION PRACTICE - English Grammar & Study Vocabulary – AI-driven conversation helps you build a solid foundation in English grammar and vocabulary. Adaptive AI adjusts to your progress so you learn exactly what you need. - Improve English accent and fluency with role-plays, open-ended dialogues, and real-life scenarios. Leave language misunderstandings with English conversations behind. - Pronunciation Training – Conquer tricky sounds with each daily English practice. - Learn with Personalized English Study Sets – Save words, phrases, or sentences from lessons or create your own, explore and share sets - Accent Training - Learn English with accent choices: American, British, Australian, and more. INSTANT FEEDBACK & AI ENGLISH CONVERSATION COACH - Indepth Analysis & Progress Tracking – Monitor your improvement with data-driven insights showing your pace, hesitation, and grammar score. - Pronunciation & Word Stress Guidance from our AI English Coach – Receive real-time feedback to sound more natural as you speak English. ENGLISH TUTOR BENEFITS - Enhanced Global Collaboration: Bridge language gaps with international colleagues or friends. - Career Potential: Impress clients and colleagues with polished English communication. - Expand Your Network: Practice English, build relationships, and explore global opportunities. - Beyond English Pronunciation: Learn grammar, vocabulary, and communication techniques to succeed academically, personally, or professionally. --- (*) ELSA PREMIUM - Access all advanced features such as exam preparation and targeted courses. - Take your English skills to the next level and start for free with a 7-day trial. Yearly and Monthly Memberships are available. --- TRUSTED BY ENGLISH LEARNERS AND INDUSTRY EXPERTS: - Honorable Mention in the AI and Data category of Fast Company's 2020 World Changing Ideas Awards - Top 100 Influencers in State of EdTech Report by EdTech Digest 2020 - Mentioned by TechCrunch, Forbes, Mashable, VentureBeat, Yahoo, Salma Hayek, and more --- Connect With Us Email: support@elsanow.io Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula

Screenshots

Words4 screens
ELSA Speak4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: ELSA Speak at 115K against Words's 1.1K. ELSA Speak also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 5 weeks) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). Words's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 42%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Words sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days and ELSA Speak sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ELSA Speak holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ELSA Speak has 115K ratings behind it against 1.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Words's written reviews are positive against 42% of ELSA Speak's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Words ships an update every 5 weeks, ELSA Speak every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Words versus ELSA Speak: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWordsELSA Speak
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (1.1K ratings)4.7 (115K ratings) — better
Positive reviews49.6% of reviews — better41.5% of reviews
Number of ratings1.1K115K — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#104 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.116.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size103 MB270 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndrey LebedevElsa Corp

Customer experience

Words

All ratings1,077 ratings
Positive87.9%
Neutral4.0%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews242 reviews
Positive49.6%
Neutral7.4%
Negative43.0%

ELSA Speak

All ratings114,587 ratings
Positive93.7%
Neutral3.2%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews2,123 reviews
Positive41.5%
Neutral11.0%
Negative47.5%

User reviews

Words

From 1.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • ⭐️ Highly effective vocabulary learning app
  • 👍 Engaging and varied learning techniques
  • 💪 Impressive learning progress and results
  • 📚 Flexible and customizable learning experience

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Offline mode issues with premium features
  • 🗣 Outdated dictionary with many archaic words
  • 🖼️ Lack of image support for words
  • 🔍 Difficult to navigate and change settings

ELSA Speak

From 115K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent for improving pronunciation
  • 👍 Helpful feedback on pronunciation issues
  • 💡 Covers a wide range of topics
  • 🤖 Effective AI-powered speech recognition

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
  • 🔌 Slow loading times and connectivity issues
  • 🤖 Inconsistent and unreliable scoring system
  • 🇺🇸 Only supports American English accent

Bugs and requests

Words

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Premium features disappear during offline use
  • Inability to restore purchases after updates

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add image generation for all words
  • Improve offline mode functionality
  • Expand dictionary with more modern vocabulary
  • Enhance customization and personalization options

ELSA Speak

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Microphone not working after phone calls
  • Inability to add words to personal playlists
  • Inconsistent behavior when repeating the same phrase
  • Subscription issues and lack of clear cancellation process

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add support for British English accent
  • Improve dictionary with more word meanings
  • Provide option to switch between male and female voices
  • Implement more structured learning path and progress tracking

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Words

Subscriptions8
  • Premium Plus3 Days trial$5.997 Days
  • Premium (English)$13.991 Month
  • Premium (English)$19.991 Year
Show 5 more
  • Premium (English)2 variants$39.993 Months
  • Premium Plus$47.991 Year
  • Premium (English)$79.991 Year
  • Premium (English)7 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • Premium Plus7 Days trial$95.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium Plus$129.99
10 purchases

ELSA Speak

Subscriptions10
  • Monthly$19.991 Month
  • 3 months7 Days trial$39.993 Months
  • 3 months Elsa Premium$47.993 Months
Show 7 more
  • 3 months$58.003 Months
  • 1 year$71.001 Year
  • One year Premium membership1 Year trial$99.991 Year
  • 1 Year Elsa Premium7 Days trial$99.991 Year
  • 1 Year ELSA Premium7 Days trial$99.991 Year
  • 1 year7 Days trial$109.991 Year
  • 1 year7 Days trial$129.991 Year

Questions

Is Words free?
Words is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ELSA Speak free?
ELSA Speak is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Words or ELSA Speak?
ELSA Speak is rated higher. Words averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while ELSA Speak averages 4.7 from 115K ratings.
Do Words or ELSA Speak have ads?
Neither Words nor ELSA Speak shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Words or ELSA Speak?
Words ships an update every 5 weeks, and ELSA Speak every 10 days. Most recently, Words was updated on November 10, 2026 and ELSA Speak on November 12, 2026.

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