Langua is a cutting-edge AI language tutor launched in 2024 that prioritizes speaking fluency and authentic conversational immersion.

Features: Langua features one of the most human-like AI voices available—emotionally expressive, naturally paced, and regionally accented. Learners can select from multiple tutor personas (e.g., “Carlos” with a Mexican accent), helping users tune their ear to specific dialects for targeted goals like AP or Canadian French.

Langua supports flexible conversation types: open-ended chats, Role-plays, Debates, Games, or grammar-focused sessions. Users set their CEFR level (A1–C1+), and the AI adjusts accordingly.

During a session, learners can ask for help or grammar explanations—even mid-conversation—making Langua feel like a responsive, patient tutor. However, verbal conversations must be manually activated by selecting “Call mode (Beta)” in Chat Settings. Once in Call Mode, Langua displays a real-time transcription that can be hidden to promote active listening.

Tom’s Take: Langua excels at integrated feedback. It subtly corrects grammar in real time without derailing the conversation, and provides a helpful post-session summary highlighting new vocabulary (with definitions), grammar tips, and common mistakes. While it doesn’t give detailed pronunciation scores, it offers native-like alternatives and tips to smooth choppy speech.

Unlike Talkpal, Langua blends both verbal and non-verbal interaction, with voice quality and conversational realism setting it apart. Still, it lacks a structured learning path like Duolingo and requires setup to enable speaking. It’s best suited for intermediate and advanced learners seeking a natural-sounding conversation partner to build confidence and fluency.

Price: The app is priced at $25/month, significantly higher than Talkpal or Duolingo, which may limit accessibility. But Langua earns 4.6–4.8★ ratings from users.

Univerbal is a conversation-based language learning app that combines visual appeal with structured instruction.

Features: Univerbal presents AI-generated human images as your conversation partners and lets you choose from diverse discussion topics such as Politics, Art, Movies, Technology, and Music. This visual-persona approach adds realism and engagement.

Univerbal’s conversation mode is multimodal, blending text and audio. You can read your AI partner’s question, reply verbally, preview your response in text, and then submit it—creating a back-and-forth experience that allows for reflection and correction. However, since spoken dialogue typically leaves little room for pauses or reading translations, the delay between prompts and responses can hinder fluency development.

To improve authenticity, learners can enable “audio-only” mode in Chat Settings and activate “auto-recording”, which cues the microphone right after the AI finishes speaking. Users can also slow down the AI’s speaking rate for better comprehension. These features help simulate natural conversation—yet even in “audio-only” mode, users still see their own spoken text and must manually send replies, making the interaction feel scripted rather than spontaneous.

Tom’s Take: Where Univerbal stands out is in its structured learning system. It includes a full language course and a placement test, offering curriculum-based progression that apps like Talkpal lack. This makes it ideal for learners seeking both conversation and directed study. It’s especially helpful for users who want to align their practice with CEFR-style levels or who prefer more structure alongside AI conversation.

For those seeking curriculum support along with AI-driven conversational practice, Univerbal offers a well-rounded and visually engaging experience. For me, its biggest limitation is the lack of seamless, real-time speaking flow—but for many learners, the balance of structure and practice may outweigh that drawback.

Price: The app offers a 7-day free trial, with a full plan priced at $119.99/year ($10/month).

Tutor Lily is an AI-powered language app focused on real-time verbal practice and feedback.

Features: Like Talkpal, Langua, and Univerbal, Tutor Lily offers conversations in both audio and text, allowing learners to read and hear the AI simultaneously. At first glance, the interface feels minimal, but tapping the “dice” icon reveals options to select a character (usually based on English-speaking celebrities), a roleplay scenario (e.g., ordering food), or a topic such as Music, Sports, or Family.

Tutor Lily supports “Hands-Free Mode,” which boosts the realism of verbal conversations by automatically sending your spoken message when you pause—no need to press “Send.” You can also adjust the voice speed, a helpful tool for listening comprehension. Unfortunately, the app doesn’t allow users to fully disable live transcripts, which detracts from immersion. Still, the hands-free interaction makes the experience more fluid than many competitors.

In terms of learning support, Tutor Lily does not provide a structured curriculum. Instead, it focuses on immediate, practical interaction, offering helpful pronunciation corrections, vocabulary suggestions, and simple explanations mid-chat. These features are useful, especially for beginner to intermediate learners looking for real-time feedback.

Tom’s Take: Overall, Tutor Lily offers basic, responsive speaking practice in a budget-friendly format. It’s best for learners who want casual conversations with feedback but can tolerate some interface quirks and a limited feature set.

However, the app shows signs of technical instability. Switching between conversation modes (e.g., Roleplay vs. Topics) was glitchy for me during testing, with delays or outright failures to load content—possibly due to platform-specific issues (e.g., iOS bugs). Unlike Langua or Univerbal, which offer smoother navigation or more polished UIs, Tutor Lily’s functionality feels uneven at times.

Price: The free version is limited to 10 messages and 2 corrections per day, and includes ads. The Pro version costs $83.99/year.

Memrise is a language-learning app that's available on both Android and iPhone and boasts over 45 million active users across the globe to date.

Features: Memrise is designed to make the process of learning a foreign language fun and exciting. The courses and programs on the app are like different stages and levels of a game. You can progress from beginner to intermediate and advanced levels of learning by completing the various steps. There are 7 levels in Spanish, each with dozens of courses (“decks”).

Memrise uses spaced repetition, which presents the same words at the right intervals to ensure they are remembered. As a Memrise user, you get access to professional video and audio lessons from natives during each course, a great addition to their multimedia lessons.

The new Memrise Discord App allows learners to practice the language they're studying with an Users can have one-on-one conversations with the chatbot, or join a groups and converse collectively.

Tom”s Take: I used Memrise for a few months to learn Spanish and was impressed with its diverse content and effective method.

Price: Free and paid options. But much content is available for free.

Drops is an engaging language learning app that is part of the Kahoot! family.

Features: Drops is colorful and lively app that focuses mainly on teaching vocabulary. Like its inspiration, Kahoot!, Drops is game-based and has a minimalistic design.

Each card contains one icon-based design, an audio file, the vocabulary word, and the English translation. Words are organized under practical categories like Travel Talk, Fun and Recreation, Nature and Animals, and more. The Review Dojo is a special section in Drops to test what you’ve learned using spaced-repetition algorithm.

With Drops, you can learn more than 2,500 words across over 150 topics in minutes a day. The app is available in 42+ languages, and is compatible with mobile devices.

Tom’s Take: Drops is fun — as much fun as Kahoot! It’s a lively and helpful platform that has received a lot of favorable ratings and reviews from users and has been featured by CNET and Forbes.

Price: The free version allows for 5 minutes of practice a day.

Quizlet provides users with the ability to generate flashcards containing terms and definitions or use flashcards created by others.

Features: With Quizlet, teachers have the option to create their own flashcard sets or choose from the millions of sets produced by other users. Flashcards can be utilized in various learning activities and modes to assist students in learning, memorizing, and mastering content.

For example, with Quizlet Test, a teacher can input correct and incorrect responses, and the assessment will be automatically graded. "Quizlet Live" allows teachers to use flashcards in a live, cooperative game-based setting.

Recently, Quizlet launched four generative tools powered by AI: Magic Notes, Memory Score, Quick Summary, and Expert Solutions. With Magic Notes, students can upload their notes and convert them into study aids, including outlines, flashcards, and practice tests. The Memory Score feature enables students to gauge their familiarity with the material and plan reviews. The Quick Summary feature assists students in retaining key concepts from dense readings, and Expert Solutions provide students with step-by-step instructions on how to tackle various homework problems.

Tom’s Take: Quizlet is ideal for students learning Spanish vocabulary, grammar, and idioms. I’ve used it for years to learn Spanish and Italian and am impressed by how Quizlet is constantly updated.

Price: Free plan has limited features. individual teacher plan costs $44.99/year.