The best English speaking apps in 2026
By the Katie AI team · Updated
What is the best app to practise speaking English?
The best app to practise speaking English depends on your goal. For English at work and in daily life, try Katie AI: an AI speaking coach for professionals that remembers your past conversations and corrects every sentence. For a daily fluency score, try Loora. For a structured course of lessons, try Speak. For pronunciation and accent, try ELSA Speak. If you want a real person to talk to, try Cambly. If you only want a free daily habit, Duolingo is a good start, but it is not built for speaking.
Key takeaways
- Best for English at work and daily life: Katie AI
- Best for a daily fluency score: Loora
- Best for a structured course: Speak
- Best for pronunciation and accent: ELSA Speak
- Best for talking to an avatar: Praktika
- Best for talking with a real person: Cambly
- Best free daily habit: Duolingo
Written by the Katie AI team. We list a real limit for every app, including our own. Free plans and trials are from the US App Store and each app's website, as of October 20, 2026.
At a glance
- Katie AI
- Best for English at work and daily life
- Free plan: No (free speaking test) · Trial: 3 days
- Loora
- Best for a daily fluency score
- Free plan: No · Trial: 1 free lesson
- Speak
- Best for a structured course
- Free plan: No · Trial: 7 days
- ELSA Speak
- Best for pronunciation and accent
- Free plan: Yes, limited · Trial: 7 days
- Praktika
- Best for talking to an avatar
- Free plan: Yes, a few conversations a day · Trial: Not stated
- Cambly
- Best for talking with a real person
- Free plan: Not stated · Trial: Not stated
- Duolingo
- Best free daily habit
- Free plan: Yes · Trial: 14 days (Super)
| App | Best for | Free plan | Free trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Katie AI | Best for English at work and daily life | No (free speaking test) | 3 days |
| Loora | Best for a daily fluency score | No | 1 free lesson |
| Speak | Best for a structured course | No | 7 days |
| ELSA Speak | Best for pronunciation and accent | Yes, limited | 7 days |
| Praktika | Best for talking to an avatar | Yes, a few conversations a day | Not stated |
| Cambly | Best for talking with a real person | Not stated | Not stated |
| Duolingo | Best free daily habit | Yes | 14 days (Super) |
1. Katie AI
Best for English at work and daily life
Katie remembers your past conversations and builds a learning path around your day-to-day life, with the phrases and vocabulary you will actually use. No generic curriculum. You talk out loud and Katie corrects your grammar, word choice and pronunciation on every sentence, and explains why. 200+ scenarios cover job interviews, work, travel and daily life. Unlimited practice.
- Free plan:
- No (free speaking test)
- Free trial:
- 3 days
Good to know: Katie teaches English only, so it is not the pick if you are learning another language. It is built for people who already know some English, so complete beginners may want a beginner course first. If what you need most is someone to hold you accountable, or a teacher's judgement on your career or exam, a human tutor still wins.
2. Loora
Best for a daily fluency score
An AI conversation tutor for adults, with instant feedback and a daily fluency score.
- Free plan:
- No
- Free trial:
- 1 free lesson
Good to know: There is no free plan after one trial lesson.
Katie AI vs Loora →3. Speak
Best for a structured course
Short lessons build up to open conversation with an AI tutor. Good if you like a step-by-step plan.
- Free plan:
- No
- Free trial:
- 7 days
Good to know: Almost nothing is free after the 7-day trial.
Katie AI vs Speak →4. ELSA Speak
Best for pronunciation and accent
Built around pronunciation scoring and accent training, with IELTS and TOEFL speaking prep.
- Free plan:
- Yes, limited
- Free trial:
- 7 days
Good to know: Some recent App Store reviews mention slow loading and speech not being recognised well.
Katie AI vs ELSA Speak →5. Praktika
Best for talking to an avatar
Lifelike avatar tutors with different accents, and a limited free plan.
- Free plan:
- Yes, a few conversations a day
- Free trial:
- Not stated
Good to know: Some recent App Store reviews say beginner lessons can feel too advanced.
Katie AI vs Praktika →6. Cambly
Best for talking with a real person
Live video lessons with human tutors, one-on-one or in small groups.
- Free plan:
- Not stated
- Free trial:
- Not stated
Good to know: Lessons are booked in advance, so practice depends on your plan and the tutor's schedule.
Katie AI vs Cambly →7. Duolingo
Best free daily habit
A free, game-like course for vocabulary and grammar. AI speaking practice needs the top Max tier.
- Free plan:
- Yes
- Free trial:
- 14 days (Super)
Good to know: AI speaking (Video Call and Roleplay) needs the top Max tier, and only some courses have it.
Katie AI vs Duolingo →
How we compared these apps
- We looked at the 11 English speaking apps and tutor services people compare most often: Katie AI, Speak, ELSA Speak, Loora, Praktika, TalkPal, Fluently, ChatGPT Voice, Cambly, Preply and Duolingo.
- For each one we checked its US App Store listing, its own website, and its most recent US App Store reviews, on October 20, 2026.
- Where an app does not publish something, we say "Not stated" instead of guessing.
- Each app's limit comes from its own website or from patterns in recent reviews. We make Katie AI, and we list a limit for Katie too.
Frequently asked questions
Which app is best for English speaking practice?
For open speaking practice with instant corrections, Katie AI is built for exactly that, and Loora adds a daily fluency score. Speak suits people who want structured lessons, and ELSA Speak suits people focused on pronunciation.
Can an app really improve my spoken English?
Yes, if you use it to speak out loud often. Fluency grows with practice and quick feedback. Apps that make you speak, not just tap, help most.
Is there a free app to practise speaking English?
ELSA Speak, Praktika and TalkPal have limited free plans, and Duolingo is free. Katie AI, Speak and Loora have no free plan, but each lets you try it first with a free trial or a free lesson. Katie also has a free speaking test.
Does Katie AI remember previous conversations?
Yes. Katie remembers what you talked about before and what you want to learn, so it feels like talking to a person who knows you, not starting over with a new app each time. It uses that to choose topics that matter to you and to pick up where you left off.
Read next
Sources
- Katie AI on the US App Store
- Loora plans (free lesson)
- Loora on the US App Store (App Store listing)
- Speak FAQ (trial, plans)
- Speak on the US App Store (App Store listing)
- ELSA Speak website (plans)
- ELSA Speak on the US App Store (App Store listing)
- Praktika website
- Praktika blog (free plan, June 2026)
- Praktika on the US App Store (App Store listing)
- Cambly plans
- Cambly on the US App Store (App Store listing)
- Duolingo Max (Video Call, Roleplay)
- Duolingo on the US App Store (App Store listing)