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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

ELSA Speak vs Speak & Learn English

ELSA Speak 4.8★ · Free + IAP 70
Winner ELSA Speak
Speak & Learn English 4.6★ · Free + IAP 40

ELSA Speak is the better choice for dedicated English pronunciation practice, despite recent updates causing user interface and bug issues, while Speak & Learn English is plagued by misleading free trial claims and high costs.

Full reviews: ELSA Speak · Speak & Learn English

ELSA Speak offers strong pronunciation practice, though recent AI updates have introduced bugs and user interface complaints. Speak & Learn English, while having some positive feedback on ease of use, is widely criticized for deceptive pricing and limited free content.

Head to head

Features & Specialization edge: ELSA SpeakR7R9R13R17
ELSA Speak ELSA Speak is highly praised for its pronunciation practice and speech recognition, with users finding it effective for improving English skills R17. However, recent updates to an AI-based system have been met with strong negative feedback, with users missing the old interface and daily lessons R7R9R13. There are also complaints about the app primarily focusing on American English, disappointing users who want to learn British pronunciation R21R39.
Speak & Learn English Speak & Learn English is noted for its ease of learning and conversational AI . However, some users find the content moves too fast for beginners and uses irrelevant examples . It also faces criticism for not offering British English accents and lacking features like level assessment, reading, or writing lessons .
Ease of Use & User Interface edge: ELSA SpeakR5R9R11R13
ELSA Speak Users have mixed feelings about ELSA Speak's interface. While some find it easy to use , many recent reviews criticize the new AI update for being distracting and not user-friendly R9R13. Issues include excessive clicking R5, difficulty with buttons R13, and a lack of progress reports . The app also has compatibility issues with iPads R11.
Speak & Learn English Speak & Learn English receives some positive comments for being easy to understand and use . However, some users find the explanations too lengthy and the app keeps freezing .
Reliability & Performance edge: ELSA SpeakR1R6R12R23
ELSA Speak ELSA Speak has significant reliability issues, with users reporting the app failing to listen or getting stuck R1R6. Bugs are common in lessons R12, and some users experience crashes . There are also problems with audio not working , voice recognition failing , and the app losing progress R6. Some users report being unable to log in after updates or after paying for subscriptions R23R37.
Speak & Learn English Speak & Learn English has fewer specific complaints about technical bugs, but one user mentions the app freezing . There are also reports of the app not allowing users to speak or getting stuck loading .
Price & Value edge: ELSA SpeakR4R10R12R13
ELSA Speak ELSA Speak is a paid app with a free tier R17. Many users express frustration with the cost, especially when facing bugs or poor updates R4R12R13. Some users feel it's a scam or fraud, particularly regarding automatic charges after trials and refusal of refunds R40. Others complain about being unable to upgrade or being charged for updates R4R10R31.
Speak & Learn English Speak & Learn English is heavily criticized for misleading advertising, claiming to be free but then immediately requiring payment for use R64R76. Users find it very expensive, with one mentioning a $14.99 per week subscription R96R100. There are also complaints about being charged after canceling subscriptions .
Support edge: ELSA SpeakR12R28R37R40
ELSA Speak ELSA Speak users report difficulty finding options to report issues within the app R12R28. Some users who paid for subscriptions and encountered login problems found no clear support or quick fix R37. There are also complaints about customer service refusing refunds after automatic charges R40.
Speak & Learn English Speak & Learn English reviews do not contain specific feedback about customer support experiences.
Pick ELSA Speak if

You are primarily focused on improving English pronunciation and are willing to navigate some recent UI changes and bugs R17. You prefer an app that offers detailed feedback on speech, even if it's mostly American English R57.

Pick Speak & Learn English if

You are looking for a very easy-to-use app for conversational practice and don't mind a potentially high weekly cost, provided the AI teacher interaction works well for you .

Evidence note: ELSA Speak has a higher volume of detailed reviews, both positive and negative, regarding its features and performance. Speak & Learn English reviews are heavily skewed towards complaints about pricing and misleading advertisements, making it difficult to assess its core learning experience beyond these issues.

Frequently asked

Is ELSA Speak truly free?
ELSA Speak offers a free version that is good for speaking and pronunciation practice, but many users report significant content and features are behind a paid subscription, with some experiencing issues when trying to upgrade or being charged automatically R17R31R40.
Does Speak & Learn English offer a free trial?
Speak & Learn English advertises itself as free, but users consistently report that upon opening the app, they are immediately prompted for a 7-day free trial that converts into a paid subscription, with one review mentioning a cost of $14.99 per week R64R76R96R100.
Can I learn British English with these apps?
Both ELSA Speak and Speak & Learn English primarily focus on American English, disappointing many users who prefer to learn and practice British pronunciation R21R39R45R57.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R7] ELSA Speak 1/5 · US Nueva Actualización IA: La app me encantaba, recientemente hicieron que sea por medio de una IA y la experiencia es pésima, quiero regresar a la versión antigua, como hago ?
  2. [R9] ELSA Speak 3/5 · US Horrible update: I’ve been using the app since 2021 and I honestly preferred the earlier user interface that had. the planets. This new 2025 update is distracting and not user friendly. I liked just logging in and seeing my daily lessons rather than this AI tutor asking me what I would like to do for the day . I probably won’t renew my pro subscription.
  3. [R13] ELSA Speak 2/5 · US Terrible update: congrats, you managed to ruin it finally. It needed improvements with recognition and transcription fixing, but you decided to trash it instead, preserving all old glitches and massacaruing interface. Who was qa who tested simple buttons of choosing between saying again and continue?! It would be nice to get a refund for this year, I didn't subscribe for this! Update from today:
  4. [R17] ELSA Speak 5/5 · US Version gratis: Es muy buena para el speak y pronunciation
  5. [R5] ELSA Speak 5/5 · US Great practice, but excessive clicking.: Please minimize clicking steps to proceed.
  6. [R11] ELSA Speak 4/5 · US The app is not compatible with iPads.: The app is not compatible with iPads; for example, the app does not rotate when the iPad is held horizontally.
  7. [R1] ELSA Speak 1/5 · US Speak not work: This version has failed when i tried speak, not at all
  8. [R6] ELSA Speak 3/5 · US Se bloquea: He tenido que eliminar la aplicación y volverla a instalar debido a que en ocasiones no escucha o se traba, además de que pierde el progreso de lo que ya se inició y es difícil volver a llegar a él
  9. [R12] ELSA Speak 3/5 · US Great idea, but needs development: This app is really interesting, but it needs quite a bit of work. Almost all the lessons have bugs, and it’s hard to make progress through them. I couldn’t find an option to report this issue within the app, so I’m leaving my feedback here. It’s a bit frustrating because, for the cost, you’d expect a smoother experience.
  10. [R23] ELSA Speak 4/5 · US Me suscribí por una año y ahora no puedo entrar: Quería informarles que me suscribí por Apple y me fue descontada la suscripción y hoy dice que se me terminaron las lecciones gratis, pero yo pagué por un año, me pueden ayudar ? No es justo que jueguen con las personas y le quite. Su dinero
  11. [R4] ELSA Speak 1/5 · US It is a trash: I got this app paid over 2 hundred per year, after a few months doesn’t le me use if I don’t pay for updates is crazy
  12. [R10] ELSA Speak 1/5 · US I can’t upgrade: When I press the upgrade button it doesn’t let me pay
  13. [R28] ELSA Speak 1/5 · US Lecciones con errores: Hay lecciones que no te entiende y no te deja escribir en ningun lado para reportarlo, se vuelve frustrante te hace perder tiempo te pone baja evaluación y no avanzas! Te quita las ganas de seguir adelante
  14. [R37] ELSA Speak 2/5 · US I can’t sign in: I paid for a one-year subscription, but I cannot sign in to the app. Every time I try to log in, it doesn’t work, and I’m completely locked out of a service I already paid for. I’ve tried reinstalling the app and checking my login details, but nothing helps. There is no clear support or quick fix, which is very frustrating for a paid subscription.
  15. [R40] ELSA Speak 1/5 · US 1-Star Review: Very Disappointing Experience: I’m extremely disappointed with ELSA Speak. They care more about money than their customers. They do not send any reminders before the trial period ends, and as soon as it expires, they automatically charge you without warning. When I reached out for a refund, they refused to return my money. It feels like they just keep the money and don’t care about
  16. [R31] ELSA Speak 1/5 · US Outdated: Totally outdated, impossible to upgrade from lifetime pro to premium, so many content to pay. So bad I don’t use it
  17. [R64] Speak & Learn English 1/5 · US Falsedad: Supuestamente que dice gratis y cuando lo vas a utilizar cobra todo
  18. [R76] Speak & Learn English 1/5 · US Mentira que es gratis: Todavía no empiezo y ya están cobrando? Desde un principio digan cuánto cuesta y no engañen a la gente. Nada es gratis , es entendible. Pero no mientan diciendo que es gratis.
  19. [R96] Speak & Learn English 1/5 · US Esperaba una app gratis no lo es: “La descargué porque el anuncio decía que era gratuita, pero al abrirla me pidió iniciar una prueba que se convierte en una suscripción de $14.99 por semana. Me hubiera gustado que esto se explicara claramente desde el prin
  20. [R100] Speak & Learn English 1/5 · US im confused??: it says its free in ads and stuff (thats where i learned about it) but when i open it immediately says "7 day free trial" and like $15 bucks a month??
  21. [R21] ELSA Speak 3/5 · GB Cannot change the accent: The concept is great but however while there is the option to select different accent, the conversations and pronunciations seems to always be in American English which is really annoying if trying to improve British pronunciation
  22. [R39] ELSA Speak 3/5 · GB Not for people who want to learn British English: It is all about American English but as I live in the UK, it is useless
  23. [R45] ELSA Speak 3/5 · GB Accents: As a British person who speaks English as a first language I decided to give it a try. I have a thick northern accent so when I was speaking it wouldn’t count it on a few of the words for example ‘am’. I had to pronounce the A in an American accent so if you want to speak English in the Uk you might sound a bit silly if you only use this.
  24. [R57] ELSA Speak 3/5 · GB Potential to be better - add British English: If you want to improve your accent and your speak American English this app could definitely help. I was very disappointed with not being able to choose which accent I want to practise and for this reason have not subscribed beyond the free 7 days trial. I speak English to a very good level, however “better never stops” and I was hoping to practise

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store