Source-backed analysis11
Review basis
Research-based review: the AppDuo Editorial Team compiled it from official pages, documentation, app stores, press and user feedback, without hands-on testing. Every claim links to a source with the date it was checked.
11 reference sourcesInformation updated Nov 10, 2026
How we review
Speak Review
Speaking-first language app with an AI tutor and instant feedback
By AppDuo Editorial Team · Updated
- iOS
- Android
- Web
On this page
Decide at a glance
Our verdict
Speak suits learners who want regular spoken practice through AI conversation, and it is highly rated on both app stores. The trade-offs are relatively high pricing, generally non-refundable fees, and a privacy notice that allows audio to be used to develop AI.
Best for: Learners who want daily spoken practice with instant feedback and no teacher scheduling
Skip it if: Learners who need structured grammar, reading and writing, or live conversation with people
Pros
- Highly rated: 4.8/5 on the App Store (66,605 ratings) and 4.7/5 on Google Play (126K reviews)
- A three-step method: learn phrases, practise until they feel natural, then apply them in conversation with Speak Tutor
- A 7-day trial with full features of the chosen plan
Cons
- US App Store list prices: Premium $17.99/month, Premium Plus up to $164.99/year
- Fees are generally non-refundable, and the terms require cancelling at least 3 days before renewal
All pros and cons · Who is it for?
Pros
- Near-weekly releases and 10M+ downloads on Google Play
Cons
- The personalised study plan and frequent-mistake targeting are Premium Plus only; Pronunciation Coach is for English learners only
- Audio is used to develop AI and shared with OpenAI, and the notice says some data was 'sold' or 'shared' for advertising
Best for
- People learning English, Spanish, French, Korean, Japanese, Italian or Simplified Chinese
Problems it solves
Experience & key features
Speak is a speaking-focused language app from Speakeasy Labs of San Francisco, US. Its homepage describes a three-step method: learn the phrases native speakers use, practise until they feel natural, then apply them in conversation with Speak Tutor. For English speakers it teaches Spanish, French, Korean, Japanese, Italian and Simplified Chinese, and it also offers English practice. It runs on iOS, Android and the web.
Pricing and value
The homepage lists no prices, only a 7-day trial followed by a paid plan, with price varying by plan and region, so the figures here come from the US App Store in-app purchase list: Premium $17.99/month or $83.99/year, Premium Plus $39.99/month or $164.99/year. Both plans include the full curriculum. Premium Plus adds a personalised study plan and frequent-mistake targeting, and removes the daily caps on Made for You and Speak Tutor personalised lessons. The help center says downgrading from Premium Plus to Premium is not possible.
Company and data
The Speak for Business page says the company was founded in 2016, has offices in San Francisco, Seoul, Tokyo and Ljubljana, and has raised over $75M including from the OpenAI Startup Fund; these are company-published figures. On data, the privacy notice allows audio to be used to develop speech-recognition technology and train AI. Anyone wary of voice recordings should read that section; microphone access can be withdrawn in device settings.
Compared with ELSA Speak, Speak leans toward conversation and phrase-based learning across several languages rather than sound-by-sound scoring. Compared with Duolingo or Babbel, it offers less reading and writing but more time on speaking. Anyone who needs grammar, vocabulary or exam preparation should add another tool.
Screenshots
Plans & pricing
Prices last verified Nov 10, 2026
Premium
Personal$17.99/mo
$7/mo billed yearly
Per the US App Store in-app purchase list: $17.99/month or $83.99/year (about $7/month). Includes the full curriculum and core features; Made for You is capped at 3 lessons per day and Speak Tutor's personalised lessons have a daily limit.
Premium Plus
Personal$39.99/mo
$13.75/mo billed yearly
Per the US App Store in-app purchase list: $39.99/month or $164.99/year (about $13.75/month). Adds a personalised study plan, targeting of frequent mistakes, and unlimited Made for You and Speak Tutor personalised lessons.
- Free plan limits
- A free membership exists (the help center refers to it) but no source details its scope; the homepage only describes a 7-day trial followed by a paid plan.
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial · credit card required
Cancellation & refunds
The terms say fees are non-refundable unless the law requires otherwise. The help center says Google Play and website purchases may be reviewed case by case; App Store refunds are handled only by Apple. EU consumers have a 14-day right of withdrawal.
Privacy
Per the privacy notice (last updated in 2026), Speak collects audio when users grant microphone access, to assess pronunciation, transcribe speech and improve voice input, and it lists training AI tools among its data uses. The EU/UK/Swiss section says audio is shared with OpenAI and Microsoft to provide the service, and with OpenAI to improve it. The company says it has sold or shared identifiers, commercial information, network data and inferences for targeted advertising. The general section gives no fixed retention period, only 'no longer than reasonably necessary'. Deletion requests go to the email address listed in the notice.
Speak alternatives
7.8/10Duolingo
Bite-sized daily language lessons with streaks and leaderboards
6.9/10ELSA Speak
AI-scored English pronunciation and speaking practice
Frequently asked questions
Is Speak free?
Per the homepage and help center, Speak offers a 7-day trial with full features of the chosen plan, then charges unless you cancel. The help center refers to a free membership but does not describe its scope.
What is the difference between Premium and Premium Plus?
Both include the full curriculum. Premium Plus adds a personalised study plan, targeting of frequent mistakes, and unlimited Made for You and Speak Tutor personalised lessons (Premium allows 3 Made for You lessons a day).
Does Speak give refunds?
Fees are generally non-refundable; for website (Paddle or Stripe/Link) and Google Play purchases, Speak may review requests case by case. App Store purchases must go through Apple, since Speak cannot process those refunds itself.
Which languages does Speak teach?
For English speakers: Spanish, French, Korean, Japanese, Italian and Simplified Chinese; it also supports learning English. Other languages are on a waitlist.
Review evidence & sources11
Scores
- Ease of use
- 8.0
- Features
- 7.5
- Value for money
- 6.0
- Performance
- 7.5
- Support
- 6.5
- Privacy & security
- 5.0
Why this score
Level-matched lessons with reminders, streaks and leagues; store ratings of 4.7-4.8/5 across hundreds of thousands of ratings.
Why this score
Strong on speaking with pronunciation feedback and AI conversation across several languages; focused on speaking only, and key personalisation sits in the pricier plan.
Why this score
Premium at $83.99/year is acceptable, but the $17.99 monthly plan and $164.99/year Premium Plus are high, with a generally non-refundable fee policy.
Why this score
Updated regularly (4.72.0 on 29 Oct and 4.73.0 on 4 Nov 2026 per the App Store) with high ratings; there is no independent benchmark of the AI feedback's accuracy.
Why this score
A help center with 11 billing articles and email support; no chat or response-time commitment found on the pages read.
Why this score
Access and deletion rights by region, but audio is used to develop AI and shared with OpenAI and Microsoft, data was 'sold' or 'shared' for advertising, and the App Store label lists data used to track users.
What users say
- App Store (US)4.8/5 · 66,605
- Google Play4.7/5 · 126,000
Sources
- Vendor-providedOfficial homepageNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedOfficial Speak for Business pageNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedOfficial privacy noticeNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedOfficial terms of serviceNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedHelp center: free trialNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedHelp center: Premium vs Premium PlusNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedHelp center: refund policyNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedHelp center: upgrading a subscriptionNov 10, 2026
- storeApp Store listing (US)Nov 10, 2026
- storeGoogle Play listingNov 10, 2026
- pressOpenAI Startup Fund announcementNov 10, 2026
Specs & compatibility
- Developer
- Speakeasy Labs, Inc.
- Headquarters
- United States
- Launched
- 2017
- Category
- Education
Capabilities
- AI features
- Mobile app
Platforms
- iOS
- Android
- Web
Interface languages
- English
- French
- German
- Indonesian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Chinese
- Spanish
- Portuguese
- Thai
- Vietnamese
Support
- Help center
Change history
- Feature.Version 4.72.0 on the App Store; its release notes only mention new features generically.
- Update.Terms of Service last modified (stated as 12/7/23), covering auto-renewal and the 7-day trial.
- Company.OpenAI Startup Fund announces an investment in Speak, which then had nearly 100,000 paying subscribers.
Full change history (4)
- Launch.First App Store release of the app listing now operated by Speakeasy Labs.
About the author
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