If you have Googled "best language exchange app," you have seen the same two names everywhere: HelloTalk and Tandem. They look similar. They promise similar things. And choosing between them is genuinely confusing.
Here is how they compare, based on what each app says on its own website, help pages and App Store listing, with our opinion clearly marked.
HelloTalk lets you chat with partners by text, voice or video, with built-in tools for translation, pronunciation, transliteration and corrections, according to its website. It also has a social feed, Moments, where you share posts and ask native speakers questions. In our view it feels like a language learning tool with a social layer.
Tandem lets you talk by text, voice note, audio or video call, with in-app correction and translation tools, according to its website, plus group audio rooms called Parties. In our view it leans toward speaking practice.
Both are free to download and start chatting with language partners. In our opinion, the difference is in what each one puts first.
HelloTalk says it has more than 70 million language learners and 260+ languages. Tandem says it has millions of members, and its App Store listing mentions 300+ languages, including 12 sign languages.
Neither number tells you how many partners you will find for your own language pair and age range. The simple test is to sign up for both and search for your pair.
How good a conversation is depends far more on you and your partner than on either app. What differs is the format.
On HelloTalk, Moments gives you posts to comment on, which can make a first message easier, and the correction tools work right inside the chat.
On Tandem, voice notes and calls are front and center, so the app nudges you toward speaking.
Our verdict: if you mainly want to write and get corrections, HelloTalk's tools fit well. If you mainly want to speak, Tandem's call options fit well.
Keep in touch in a way that suits you both. Messages and calls can sustain a friendship across countries. When you are nearby and both comfortable, you can suggest meeting in public.
HelloTalk Free:
HelloTalk VIP ($12.99/month or $79.99/year on the US App Store; ¥1,800/month or ¥11,200/year in Japan):
Tandem Free:
Tandem Pro (prices vary by country and plan; check the App Store):
Verdict: both let you start for free. Compare the paid features you would actually use, then decide whether HelloTalk VIP or Tandem Pro is worth it for you.
Disclosure: we make SewaYou. This is our explanation of where it fits alongside the other apps.
SewaYou is a map-based friendship app for meeting people nearby and anywhere in the world. Explore your own neighborhood or move the map to another city or country, all from where you are now.
HelloTalk and Tandem focus on language exchange. SewaYou focuses on friendship through map discovery. You can use them together if you want both language practice and friendships, locally or across countries.
Make Japanese Friends On a Live World Map
Stay close to home to find someone you could invite for coffee, or explore another country to make friends online. You can also get to know people at a future travel destination before you leave. You do not need to travel to connect internationally.
No swiping is required. There is a free version with limited features, and Pro unlocks more chats and features.
Profile verification and moderation are safeguards, not guarantees about someone’s intentions. Take your time getting to know a new friend online, and choose a public place if you decide to meet.
Download SewaYou and explore the map to make friends nearby and around the world.
Choose HelloTalk if:
Choose Tandem if:
Choose SewaYou if:
Is HelloTalk or Tandem better for Japanese? Both support Japanese language exchange. Choose based on the tools you will actually use, such as text corrections and calls, and the partners you find. If your goal is friendship, SewaYou lets you explore Japan from home and discover Japanese friends nearby and around the world.
Can I use HelloTalk and Tandem together? HelloTalk and Tandem focus on language exchange. SewaYou focuses on friendship through map discovery. You can use them together if you want both language practice and friendships, locally or across countries.
Are HelloTalk and Tandem free? Both are free to start. HelloTalk's free plan includes 10 new partners per day, and VIP adds more, such as 25 new partners per day and no ads. Tandem's App Store listing says many features are free, and Tandem Pro adds unlimited translations, nearby and city search, profile visitors and no ads.
How do I stay safe on HelloTalk or Tandem? HelloTalk's own safety guidance says it is not a dating app, asks members to be cautious with people who use it for dating, and advises never sending money. On any app, keep personal details private, and use report and block whenever someone makes you uncomfortable.
What about italki? italki is where you book online lessons with teachers. Its site says lessons are pay as you go and teachers set their own prices. It is a different kind of product from a language exchange, so you can use it alongside HelloTalk/Tandem/SewaYou without overlap.
Download SewaYou and explore the map to make friends nearby and around the world.
