Comparison

TurnCards vs Poliko

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

Head to head
About

TurnCards

This app uses voice recognition to help you learn languages by speaking answers aloud. It offers various study modes, tracks your progress, and supports custom deck imports. Focuses on building speaking confidence through interactive review.

Highlights
  • Voice-first flashcards
  • On-device speech recognition
  • Native pronunciation audio
  • CEFR level filtering
  • Smart bookmarks
  • AI-enhanced decks
  • Import custom decks
Features
Read full description

Flashcards that listen back. Say your answer out loud and TurnCards grades it instantly. Hear every word in a native accent, then say it back, the way you'll use the language for real. SPEAK, DON'T TYPE - Speak: hear the word, say the translation. Lenient grading accepts synonyms and small slips. - Pronounce: repeat after the native voice and get a score, with a syllable-stress check. - Fill in: complete real sentences from your deck, out loud. - Shadow: hear a whole example sentence and say it back at the same pace. - Listen: hands-free. The word, its meaning and an example sentence, on a loop. Made for walks and commutes. - Match: match your target language and native language words. - Mixed: For when you want a real variety to stretch your skills. A PLAN FOR EVERY DAY - Today shows your daily goal, your streak and the best session to do next. - Spaced repetition brings back the cards you miss and spaces out the ones you know. - Streaks right on your dashboard with a streak shield for those time you just can't study today. - Follow a session on the Lock Screen with a Live Activity, and keep your streak and goal on your Home Screen with widgets. FREE DECKS, OR YOUR OWN - TurnCards has a robust library of A1 - C1 decks for Italian, Spanish, French, German, and Japanese. And you can create your own by importing a file, an article/book, or other sources; have Apple's on-device AI build a deck with your guidance; or import from your other flashcard programs (.APKG for example). PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account. No TurnCards servers. Your decks and progress stay on your iPhone and in your own iCloud. FREE, WITH AN AD-FREE OPTION TurnCards is free with ads, or you can go ad-free with a one-time or lifetime plan. Tips are also appreciated to support development. Ads are a small, non-intrusive, banner, and a full screen ad at the end of every 2 study sessions (never mid-session). Speak. Listen. Learn. Terms of Use: https://turncards.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://turncards.app/privacy

About

Poliko

This AI-powered language tutor focuses on conversational practice from the first lesson. Engage in real dialogues with an AI tutor, receive instant pronunciation feedback, and build speaking confidence through personalized learning plans and roleplay scenarios.

Highlights
  • Speak from lesson 1
  • 20 languages available
  • Personalized learning plans
  • Roleplay real-life scenarios
  • Instant pronunciation feedback
  • Vocabulary tracking
  • Streak system for habit building
Features
Read full description

Poliko is the voice-first AI language tutor that gets you speaking from your very first lesson. No flashcard grinding. No endless multiple choice. You learn a language the way you actually use it: by talking. From day one, you hold to speak, have real conversations with your AI tutor, and get instant feedback on what you said and how you said it. Hear natural, native-quality pronunciation and build the confidence to speak out loud. WHY POLIKO - Speak from lesson 1. Every lesson is built around talking, not tapping. You practice real speech, not silent quizzes. - 20 languages. Learn Spanish, French, Japanese, Spanish, Turkish, Russian, Korean and many more, all with the same conversation-first approach. - Personalized learning plans. Poliko adapts to your goals, your level, and your pace, so every session moves you forward. - Roleplay scenarios. Order coffee, book a hotel, navigate an interview, make friends. Practice the situations you'll actually face. - Vocabulary tracking. Poliko remembers the words you've learned and resurfaces them at the right moment so they stick. - Streak system. Build a daily speaking habit and watch your fluency grow one conversation at a time. WHO IT'S FOR Whether you're a total beginner nervous to say your first word or an intermediate learner who can read but freezes when it's time to talk, Poliko meets you where you are and gets you speaking with confidence. Stop studying languages. Start speaking them. Download Poliko and have your first conversation today. Subscription Details: Poliko Pro Poliko offers a free tier plus optional monthly and annual auto-renewable subscriptions that unlock full conversation practice and personalized learning features. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.poliko.app/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://www.poliko.app/privacy.html

Screenshots

TurnCards4 screens
Poliko4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TurnCards at none against Poliko's 2. TurnCards also leads on ratings volume (4 vs 1). Poliko's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, update cadence and device support 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. Poliko sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per month. TurnCards asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Poliko holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TurnCards ships an update every 5 days, Poliko every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 3 level
TurnCards versus Poliko: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTurnCardsPoliko
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (4 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings4 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB59 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTurnCards LLCA Labs

Customer experience

TurnCards

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Poliko

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

TurnCards

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Poliko

Subscriptions2
  • Poliko Pro — Monthly$17.991 Month
  • Poliko Pro — Yearly7 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is TurnCards free?
TurnCards is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Poliko free?
Poliko is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TurnCards or Poliko?
Poliko is rated higher. TurnCards averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Poliko averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do TurnCards or Poliko have ads?
TurnCards shows ads; Poliko does not.
Which is updated more often, TurnCards or Poliko?
TurnCards ships an update every 5 days, and Poliko every 3 days. Most recently, TurnCards was updated on October 25, 2026 and Poliko on October 8, 2026.

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