Comparison

Sylvi vs LingoBuddy

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

Head to head
About

Sylvi

Practice foreign languages with AI penpals who provide tutor-level feedback on every message. Learn essential phrases, build vocabulary, and stay motivated with friends. Offers a free trial before subscription.

Highlights
  • AI penpals for language practice
  • Real-time message correction and explanation
  • Vocabulary building and memorization tools
  • Practice with friends
  • Streak preservation
  • Flashcards and leaderboard
Features
Read full description

AI penpals that feel like native friends. Tutor-level feedback on every single message. That's Sylvi. You can even pick a penpal with the exact accent you want to have. French (France and Canada) Spanish (Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Puerto Rico, etc) German Italian Portuguese (Portugal and Brazil) English (UK, US, Australia) More languages coming soon - follow our journey on @sylvi_app Too shy to talk to a native speaker? Practice with AI penpals who know you well enough to ask about your day. Every message you send is corrected and explained in real time - not just flagged, but actually taught, so when the real moment comes, you're ready for it. - Learn the phrases you need, for the life you lead Build your vocabulary by saving words important to you. Test yourself daily to memorise them. - Stay accountable with friends Practice with your friends regardless of what language they're learning or what level they're at. "I've used a lot of different language apps... but Sylvi has been the one I've been having the most success with growth-wise. At least from what my tutor tells me." Can't bear to lose your streak? We won't tell. If you've got a streak you can't bear to lose, message us at support@sylvi.ai and we'll transfer it straight to Sylvi. Try us free for 1 week, then pick a subscription that works for you. "I know grammar. I know all of these vocabularies, but you're kind of stuck in the middle of like - how do I become comprehensible? Then I found Sylvi" - Amira, UK "I could say, 'I'm going to the cinema today'. Then if I do Sylvi tomorrow, my penpal will come back and say, 'so what film did you see at the cinema?'. I love the continuity. It's so clever." - James, US

About

LingoBuddy

Practice speaking a new language through natural voice conversations with an AI companion. Get instant feedback on grammar and pronunciation, track your progress on the CEFR scale, and receive personalized recaps after each session. Supports 15 languages.

Highlights
  • AI voice conversations
  • Personalized progress tracking
  • Instant grammar/pronunciation feedback
  • CEFR proficiency scale
  • 15 languages available
  • Debrief and recap after calls
Features
Read full description

Finally, a language partner who's always ready to talk! LingoBuddy is your personal AI language companion. Call Lingo anytime and just start speaking. From day one, you're having natural, pressure-free voice conversations that actually get you talking. Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to polish your fluency, Lingo adapts to your level. Chat about your day or practice ordering food. It's the safest place to make mistakes, get instant feedback, and build real-world confidence. WHY LINGOBUDDY? - REAL VOICE CONVERSATIONS: Call an intelligent AI that listens and responds just like a native speaker. No typing, no judgment, just pure speaking practice. - LINGO REMEMBERS YOU: Every call, Lingo picks up where you left off: your interests, your progress, the words you're working on. It's like talking to a friend who's genuinely following your journey. - A DEBRIEF AFTER EVERY CALL: Hang up and get a short, focused recap: what you did well, what to work on, and what to practice next. Gentle, instant corrections to your grammar and pronunciation, right when you need them. - WATCH YOUR VOCABULARY GROW: Every word you say or hear in a call is saved to your Learn tab. Lingo brings each word back right before you'd forget it (spaced repetition) and slips the ones you're about to lose into your next conversation. Not in the mood to talk today? Practice your flashcards instead. They're built from your own calls, not a generic word list. - SEE YOUR LEVEL RISE: Lingo analyzes your conversations and places you on the CEFR proficiency scale (A1 to C2). Watch yourself move from Beginner toward Fluent as you practice more. 15 LANGUAGES AVAILABLE Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil and Portugal), English, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Turkish, Japanese, Chinese, and Arabic. PRACTICE THAT FITS YOUR LIFE Start free with short daily calls, then upgrade for longer calls and more monthly minutes whenever you're ready. Every call runs up to 10 minutes - a quick chat or a proper conversation, your choice. Lingo gives you a soft heads-up before time's up, so nothing ends mid-sentence. Download LingoBuddy today and turn your language learning into a real conversation! Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Sylvi4 screens
LingoBuddy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Sylvi at 338 against LingoBuddy's 2. Sylvi also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly). LingoBuddy's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 83%). 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. Sylvi sells 24 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and LingoBuddy sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

LingoBuddy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sylvi has 338 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Sylvi's written reviews are positive against 100% of LingoBuddy's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sylvi ships an update every 3 days, LingoBuddy fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Sylvi versus LingoBuddy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSylviLingoBuddy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (338 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews83.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings338 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.415.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size143 MB111 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperSylvi LtdJakob Frederik Ahlberg

Customer experience

Sylvi

All ratings335 ratings
Positive92.5%
Neutral1.5%
Negative6.0%
Written reviews214 reviews
Positive83.2%
Neutral2.3%
Negative14.5%

LingoBuddy

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Sylvi

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Frequent app crashes
  • Subscription issues
  • Inconsistent user experience

Requested features

5 requests
  • Expand language options
  • Improve free version features
  • Implement more personalized learning
  • Add more advanced conversation scenarios
  • Improve speech recognition accuracy

LingoBuddy

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

24 purchases

Sylvi

Subscriptions24
  • Sylvi Lite (Monthly)7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Sylvi Lite (Monthly)$2.991 Month
  • Sylvi Pro (Monthly)$6.991 Month
Show 21 more
  • Sylvi Pro (Monthly)7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Sylvi Lite (Monthly)$6.991 Month
  • Monthly14 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Monthly7 Days trial$13.991 Month
  • Sylvi Pro (Monthly)$14.991 Month
  • Monthly7 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • 3 months14 Days trial$19.993 Months
  • Sylvi Lite (Annual)14 Days trial$23.991 Year
  • Sylvi Lite (Annual)$23.991 Year
  • Monthly7 Days trial$24.991 Month
  • Sylvi Lite (Annual)$35.991 Year
  • 3 months14 Days trial$39.993 Months
  • 3 months7 Days trial$39.993 Months
  • Annual14 Days trial$49.901 Year
  • Annual7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Sylvi Pro (Annual)14 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Sylvi Pro (Annual)$59.991 Year
  • Sylvi Pro (Annual)$79.991 Year
  • Annual14 Days trial$83.901 Year
  • Annual7 Days trial$89.991 Year
  • Annual7 Days trial$129.991 Year
4 purchases

LingoBuddy

Subscriptions4
  • Pen Pals14 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Language Adventurer7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Best Friends14 Days trial$12.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • Language Master$35.006 Months

Questions

Is Sylvi free?
Sylvi is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is LingoBuddy free?
LingoBuddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sylvi or LingoBuddy?
LingoBuddy is rated higher. Sylvi averages 4.7 out of 5 from 338 ratings, while LingoBuddy averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Sylvi or LingoBuddy have ads?
Neither Sylvi nor LingoBuddy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sylvi or LingoBuddy?
Sylvi ships an update every 3 days, and LingoBuddy fortnightly. Most recently, Sylvi was updated on October 27, 2026 and LingoBuddy on October 28, 2026.

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