Comparison

U vs My Circles

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

Head to head
About

U

Features
Read full description

Most language apps teach you a language. U-say teaches you YOUR language — the words you actually reach for, in the life you actually live. HOW IT WORKS Say what's on your mind, in English. U-say finds the sentences you use most and turns them into Spanish, French, or English you can genuinely say. Not "the pen is on the table." The things you said this morning. SPEAK FROM DAY ONE Talk with an AI partner who is a person, not a quiz. It has a job, opinions, and a bad week sometimes — and it answers what you actually said. It never corrects you mid-sentence, because being interrupted is the fastest way to stop speaking. Afterwards it shows you what a fluent speaker would have said, and why. IMMERSION THAT ARRIVES WHEN YOU'RE READY At the start, your partner speaks English — being spoken to in a language you can't answer in teaches nothing. As you master more, it shifts: greetings in Spanish, then whole conversations, then no translation at all. You never choose a difficulty setting. It simply notices. And if you'd rather be thrown in early, you can set it yourself. A REAL DAILY CLASS Five minutes, one sentence, taught properly: hear it, understand it, spell it from memory, write it, then use it with other learners in your room. Your practice stays private. Only your final answer is shared. LEARN WITH PEOPLE LEARNING WITH YOU Rooms by language and level. Daily prompts everyone answers. Weekly rankings that measure effort, not who started ahead. Every post is safety-checked before it appears. ALSO INCLUDED • Spaced repetition that schedules review before you forget • Screenshot analysis — learn from real messages you receive • Pronunciation coaching with playback comparison • Stories, writing practice, and grammar explained when you need it • A structured Academy path if you want foundations too FREE INCLUDES Daily conversation practice, one personal lesson a day, your full phrase library, review, the Community class, and immersion. U-say+ adds more conversation time, more lessons, deeper insight, and practice built from your mistakes. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Learners under 13 get a completely separate mode: no account, no cloud, no microphone, no data leaves the device. For everyone else, you choose what's stored, you can export it, and you can delete your account in two taps. Spanish · French · English https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

My Circles

Learn everyday conversations in ten languages with adjustable pacing and optional subtitles. Build your own language rotation, focusing on beginner vocabulary and pronunciation. All learning content requires an annual subscription.

Highlights
  • Customizable language rotation
  • Beginner vocabulary focus
  • Adjustable listening speed
  • Optional subtitles with translations
  • Repeat and practice conversations
  • Offline content and translations
Features
Read full description

One conversation. Multiple languages. Instant comparison. My Circles: Learn Languages brings everyday conversations to life in ten study languages. Switch languages at the same conversational turn, hear how the same idea is expressed, and continue without losing your place. TRY A CONVERSATION FREE Topic 1, Circle 1 is free in all ten study languages, including conversation, vocabulary, practice and subtitles. No purchase is required and no subscription starts automatically. Annual subscription access unlocks the remaining circles and topics. BUILD YOUR LANGUAGE ROTATION Study English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Greek, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Modern Standard Arabic and Hindi. Choose one language or several. Language controls remain available while scrolling. Tap a language or Rotate to hear the corresponding turn immediately. LISTEN ONCE OR KEEP LISTENING Choose Play once or Repeat until stopped in Touch or Hands-free mode. Listen at Normal, Slow or Very slow speed. Pause, resume and stop whenever you choose. Optional repetition pauses give you time to practise aloud or silently. ENGLISH OR SPANISH SUPPORT Choose English or Spanish for instructions, navigation and vocabulary meanings, independently of your study languages. Follow complete spoken turns in the Subtitles section with aligned reference translations. YOUR FIRST SESSION AND PERSONAL REVIEW A three-step guide helps you listen with subtitles, repeat with pauses and explore words. Save useful words and conversation phrases with the star, then review their meanings and audio. Saved items stay on your device. Reopening restores your last lesson location with playback stopped. VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT Search words and meanings. Explore key expressions and additional beginner words, including common small words and English contractions. Hear words individually and in sentences. Vocabulary is available whenever you choose; five listening-and-practice sessions are recommended, never required. Session counts track activity, not proficiency. TOUCH OR HANDS-FREE Automatic playback does not require a microphone. Optional English voice commands require microphone and speech-recognition permission. On-device recognition is the default where available; optional Apple online recognition requires internet and separate consent. Keep the app open during playback. 30 TOPICS, THREE CIRCLES EACH Topics 1–26 introduce daily-life language. Topics 27–30 revisit earlier material, with optional complements. Optional reading guides support Greek, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic and Hindi. Audio uses device voices. Reading guides are pronunciation aids; Arabic short vowels are estimated. Content and pronunciation review is ongoing. No account is required. Lessons and translations are bundled locally. Preferences, saved items and practice counts stay on your device. Voice availability depends on your device and installed voices. No learning outcome is promised. SUBSCRIPTION Annual subscription access unlocks all remaining circles and topics beyond the free sample. Localized pricing and purchase terms appear before confirmation. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled through your Apple Account settings. Apple displays any applicable promotional offer terms. Restore Purchases is available. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

U4 screens
My Circles3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: U at 15.1 against My Circles's 17.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. U sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per month and My Circles sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $30.00 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
U versus My Circles: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUMy Circles
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequency—Every 6 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Subscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB6 MB
Age rating12+4+
Developershemar anglinPavel Valdes

In-app purchases

2 purchases

U

Subscriptions2
  • U-Say+$17.991 Month
  • U-say+$159.991 Year
1 purchases

My Circles

Subscriptions1
  • From Day One Annual Access$30.001 Year

Questions

Is U free?
U is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is My Circles free?
My Circles is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do U or My Circles have ads?
Neither U nor My Circles shows ads.

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