Comparison

Drops vs Hilokal

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

Head to head
About

Drops

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
Read full description

Join over 50 million people who use Drops for free language lessons. It’s fast, fun, and easy! Practice vocabulary in Spanish, Japanese, French, Korean, Chinese, German, English. Discover 55+ different new languages with Drops! Learn new languages while playing games. You can become fluent, learn vocabulary and common phrases in Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, and Hindi. Set goals, unlock achievements, and get rewards! • Become fluent in a foreign language with this language learning app • Learn to read characters and scripts from different alphabets like Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, and Hindi • Custom illustrations for each vocabulary word makes it easy to remember • From beginner to expert levels, grow your foreign language vocabulary • A professionally curated vocabulary list with more than 3,000 words and phrases • Game-like language lessons that make language learning fun and effective • Level up! Track your progress and get rewards • Professional voice artists and sound design with correct dialect pronunciations • Learn to speak languages like Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), English (British), English (American), French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (European), Russian, Spanish (Mexican), Spanish (European), Tagalog, Ainu, Arabic (Egyptian), American Sign Language (ASL), Basque, Bosnian, Cantonese, Catalan, Chti, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, Esperanto, Estonian, Finnish, Galician, Greek, Greenlandic, Hawaiian, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Igbo, Indonesian, Irish, Maori, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Romanian, Samoan, Sanskrit, Serbian, Swahili, Swedish, Swiss German, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Welsh, and even Yoruba! "By focusing on visually appealing games and vocab, Drops aims to lower the barrier preventing users from exploring a new language and, ultimately, accessing the social and economic benefits knowing that language may provide." - TechCrunch We are featured by CNET, Forbes, VentureBeat and many other places too! Try Drops Premium with a 7 day free trial. Download the app to learn about different membership options, and register to learn all about exclusive discounts. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of Drops premium. Afterwards your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. Auto-renewal may be turned off at any time by going to your settings in the iTunes Store after purchase. You can cancel your subscription anytime, and you won't be charged in the next billing cycle. Privacy Policy and Terms of Use: http://languagedrops.com/privacypolicy.html

About

Hilokal

Learn languages like Korean and English with an AI tutor and a global community of learners. Practice speaking, writing, and listening with real-time feedback and interactive tools. Engage in themed chats and games to make learning fun and practical.

Highlights
  • AI-powered language tutoring
  • Real-time grammar and pronunciation correction
  • Interactive transcripts with AI insights
  • Word tracking and pronunciation analysis
  • Global language exchange community
  • Themed chat rooms and language games
  • Community-led learning sessions
Features
Read full description

Learn a new language like Korean or English with Hilokal—your AI language tutor paired with the opportunity to practice with an active community of 1.5 million real language learners worldwide. Whether you’re advancing your career, planning your next adventure, or diving into K-pop and international cinema, Hilokal combines the power of AI tutoring with authentic human interaction to make language learning practical, educational, and fun. ▶ AI-Powered Language Tutoring ◀ [Goguma: Your Advanced AI Tutor] • Practice speaking, writing, and listening in 26 languages, including English and Korean, with our low-latency, GPT-4o powered AI tutor that provides real-time text and audio conversations. [Real-Time Language Mastery] • Receive immediate corrections on grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary, ensuring you sound like a local and grasp nuanced expressions. ▶ Learning Tools ◀ [Interactive Transcripts with Insights] • Record your learning sessions to get text and audio transcripts; analyze your pronunciation with heat maps and leverage AI insights for targeted improvement. [Word Tracking & Analysis] • Monitor every word you speak, analyze pronunciation accuracy, and review your speaking speed. [Performance Leaderboards] • Compare your language progress with others on a weekly leaderboard to motivate and enhance your learning experience. ▶ Community-Driven Language Practice ◀ [Language Exchange] • Connect with over 1.5 million users learners worldwide, practicing and refining your language skills through real conversations. [Interactive Language Games & Themed Chats] • Engage in fun games and themed chats about popular topics like K-pop, travel, or international cinema, enhancing your language skills in a context you love. [Community-Led Sessions] • Participate in sessions led by experienced speakers and tailored to all skill levels—from beginners to advanced learners. [Instant Audio Chat Rooms] • Jump into audio chat rooms at any time, perfect for spontaneous practice sessions with native speakers and fellow language enthusiasts. ▶ Subscription Options ◀ [Access Full Features with Subscription] • Start with a 7-day free trial and continue your language learning journey with our Premium Plus subscription for full access to AI features and community interactions. [Exclusive Subscriber Benefits] • Enjoy advanced learning materials, detailed analytics, and personalized feedback to accelerate your path to language proficiency. Hilokal isn’t just an app—it’s your gateway to global fluency. Embrace a new language with tools designed for young adults seeking career growth, cultural immersion, and personal connections. Join Hilokal today and start speaking like a native! For more information and support, visit https://www.hilokal.com/. To see Terms of Service: https://www.hilokal.com/en/app/terms.html

Screenshots

Drops4 screens
Hilokal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Drops at 75% against Hilokal's 45%. Drops also leads on ratings volume (72K vs 768) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). Hilokal's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Drops sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Hilokal sells 26 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Drops holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Drops has 72K ratings behind it against 768, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Drops's written reviews are positive against 45% of Hilokal's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Drops ships an update weekly, Hilokal every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Drops versus Hilokal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDropsHilokal
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (72K ratings) — better4.4 (768 ratings)
Positive reviews74.6% of reviews — better44.6% of reviews
Number of ratings72K — better768
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 9 days
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
Best chart rank#170 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size191 MB219 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperPLANB LABS OUHilokal

Customer experience

Drops

All ratings71,502 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral2.9%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews2,192 reviews
Positive74.6%
Neutral9.6%
Negative15.8%

Hilokal

All ratings768 ratings
Positive82.3%
Neutral7.0%
Negative10.7%
Written reviews168 reviews
Positive44.6%
Neutral10.1%
Negative45.2%

User reviews

Drops

From 72K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Hilokal

From 768 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent for language exchange and practice
  • 👍 Diverse community of users from around the world
  • 🌟 Helpful and knowledgeable teachers/tutors
  • 💡 Innovative features like AI tutor and role-playing
  • 🤝 Great for making new friends and cultural exchange

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent bugs, crashes, and connection issues
  • 🔊 Volume control problems, echo, and audio distortion
  • 🤖 Inconsistent performance of AI tutor feature
  • 🔒 Weak security and moderation, allowing harassment
  • 💰 Expensive subscription, lack of affordable options

Bugs and requests

Drops

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Login issues and lost progress
  • Crashes and performance problems

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

Hilokal

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Inability to log in or create account
  • Sudden loss of audio/voice functionality
  • Incompatibility with older iOS/Android devices
  • Disappearing user profiles and conversation history
  • Inconsistent performance after recent app updates

Requested features

5 requests
  • Allow selecting multiple target languages
  • Add option to save/review conversation transcripts
  • Implement better filtering and search for tables
  • Improve moderation system to address harassment
  • Provide more affordable subscription plans

In-app purchases

13 purchases

Drops

Subscriptions12
  • Genius for a month$7.991 Month
  • Premium$9.991 Month
  • Premium$11.991 Month
Show 9 more
  • Premium$14.991 Month
  • Curious for a month$22.991 Month
  • Holiday premium!$39.991 Year
  • Premium7 Days trial$62.991 Year
  • Premium7 Days trial$69.991 Year
  • All Language Learning Plans7 Days trial$69.991 Year
  • Premium7 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • Premium7 Days trial$89.991 Year
  • Premium7 Days trial$99.991 Year
One-time1
  • Unlimited time for all Languages!$59.99
26 purchases

Hilokal

Subscriptions14
  • Hilokal Premium$2.991 Month
  • Hilokal Premium$4.991 Month
  • Hilokal Premium7 Days trial$4.991 Month
Show 11 more
  • Premium Plus 1 month$10.991 Month
  • Premium Plus 1 month7 Days trial$10.991 Month
  • Premium Plus 1 month$19.991 Month
  • Premium Plus 1 month7 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • Hilokal Premium 1 year$24.991 Year
  • Hilokal Premium7 Days trial$24.996 Months
  • Hilokal Premium7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Premium Plus 6 months7 Days trial$41.996 Months
  • Premium Plus 12 months7 Days trial$64.991 Year
  • Premium Plus 12 months$73.001 Year
  • Premium Plus 12 months7 Days trial$73.001 Year
One-time12
  • Hilokal 140 Beans$1.99
  • Hilokal Premium bundle 1$2.99
  • Hilokal Premium(1mo) Gift Card$4.99
Show 9 more
  • Hilokal 500 Beans$6.99
  • Premium Plus bundle 1$10.99
  • Premium Plus bundle 1$11.49
  • Hilokal 1500 Beans$18.99
  • Hilokal Premium bundle 5$24.99
  • Premium Plus bundle 3$37.00
  • Hilokal Premium(1yr) Gift Card$39.99
  • Hilokal 5000 Beans$64.99
  • Premium Plus bundle 10$110.99

Questions

Is Drops free?
Drops is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hilokal free?
Hilokal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Drops or Hilokal?
Drops is rated higher. Drops averages 4.7 out of 5 from 72K ratings, while Hilokal averages 4.4 from 768 ratings.
Do Drops or Hilokal have ads?
Both Drops and Hilokal show ads.
Which is updated more often, Drops or Hilokal?
Drops ships an update weekly, and Hilokal every 9 days. Most recently, Drops was updated on September 24, 2026 and Hilokal on September 4, 2026.

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