Duolingo alternatives for learning to speak English, by what you need
Duolingo is a fun way to build a daily habit, but most of its exercises are tapping, typing and reading aloud. If your goal is to speak English with confidence, the best alternative depends on what is missing: conversation practice, pronunciation feedback, a live human, or a structured course. Here are the options in each group, with honest limits.
By The YoFluent teamUpdated 8 min read
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Why look beyond Duolingo for speaking?
Duolingo is built around short, game-like lessons, and it is one of the most downloaded learning apps in the world: its US App Store listing shows a 4.7 rating from over 5 million ratings. For vocabulary and habit, that works. For speaking, the limits are structural: most exercises are chosen, typed or read aloud, so you rarely have to produce a sentence of your own, in real time, with no hints.
Speaking needs different practice: open questions, interruptions, and feedback on how you sound. That is what the alternatives below add. Many learners keep Duolingo for the daily habit and add one of these for speaking.
AI speaking tutors: practise conversation any time
- YoFluent (ours). English-only voice calls with AI tutors in real situations (interviews, meetings, small talk, travel). After each call you get scores for pronunciation, fluency, grammar and vocabulary, and a CEFR level. 3-day free trial on the yearly plan; no free plan.
- Speak. A structured speaking course with AI conversation. See our Speak app review.
- Praktika. AI avatar tutors you can pick from, strong on the feeling of talking to a person. See our Praktika review.
- Loora. English-only AI tutor rated 4.9 from about 40,000 App Store ratings. See our Loora review.
- Gliglish. Works in a browser with a free 10 minutes a day. See our Gliglish review.
- Langua. Many languages with strict free limits. See our Langua review.
New to AI tutors? Read what an AI English tutor can and cannot do.
Pronunciation coaches
- ELSA Speak. Pronunciation drills with sound-by-sound feedback. See our ELSA Speak review.
- BoldVoice. Accent coaching with an AI coach, aimed at American English. See our BoldVoice review.
- More: the best English pronunciation apps.
Human tutors
- italki. Pick a tutor by price, accent and style; pay by the lesson. See our italki review.
- Preply. A similar marketplace with trial lessons. See our Preply review.
- Lingoda. Group classes on a schedule. See our Lingoda review.
- Trade-off: a human can notice things an app misses, but costs more per hour and needs a booked time.
Courses and audio programmes
- Busuu. Structured lessons with feedback from other learners; rated 4.7 from about 100,000 US App Store ratings.
- Babbel. Lesson-based courses, rated 4.7 from about 750,000 ratings; its US App Store list starts at $17.99 for a one-month plan.
- Pimsleur. 30-minute audio lessons for commutes; All Access is listed at $20.99 a month. See our Pimsleur review.
Side by side
| App | Best for | Speaking practice | Cost to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| YoFluent | Situations and scored feedback | Voice calls with AI tutors | 3-day free trial (yearly plan) |
| Speak | A guided speaking course | AI conversation inside lessons | See review |
| Praktika | Talking to an avatar | AI avatar tutors | See review |
| Loora | Open English chat | Voice conversation with AI | Subscription (App Store) |
| Gliglish | Trying AI chat free | AI chat and role-play | 10 free minutes a day |
| ELSA Speak | Pronunciation | Sound drills with feedback | See review |
| italki | A real tutor | Live lessons | Pay per lesson |
| Pimsleur | Audio habit | Scripted repeat-and-answer | $20.99/month (US App Store) |
Prices change often and differ by country. The “see review” pages carry dated prices; always confirm on the checkout screen.
Free Duolingo alternatives for speaking
If you do not want to pay, free options for speaking exist, but each has limits:
- Free tiers of AI tutors give a few minutes a day (Gliglish offers 10).
- Language exchange with real people is free but depends on finding a reliable partner.
- Shadowing real audio costs nothing. See our shadowing guide.
See free English speaking apps for the full list of free plans and their limits.
How to choose
- Name your gap. Cannot start a conversation? Choose an AI tutor. Mispronounce key sounds? Choose a pronunciation coach.
- Check the price at checkout, not on a review site.
- Use the trial to speak for 10 minutes, then decide whether you want to come back tomorrow.
- Practise daily. Ten minutes of speaking beats an hour once a week.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Duolingo for speaking English?
It depends on your gap. For open conversation, an AI speaking tutor such as YoFluent, Speak, Praktika or Loora; for pronunciation, ELSA Speak or BoldVoice; for a real person, italki or Preply.
Is there a free alternative to Duolingo for speaking?
Some AI tutors have free tiers with a few minutes a day (Gliglish offers 10 minutes), and language exchange and shadowing are free. All have limits compared with a paid plan.
Is Duolingo good for speaking English?
Duolingo is good for building vocabulary and a daily habit. Its exercises mostly involve tapping, typing and reading aloud, so most learners need a dedicated speaking tool to practise real conversation.
Can I use Duolingo and another app together?
Yes. Many learners keep Duolingo for the daily streak and add an AI tutor or a human tutor for speaking practice.
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