HelloTalk is a language exchange app: you're matched with people who speak the language you want, and who want to learn yours, so you can teach each other by text, voice, and video. Bubblegum is a reading and listening app. Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons for your level about topics you like, and she brings back the words you save.
How HelloTalk and Bubblegum Compare
HelloTalk is about talking with people, and Bubblegum is about reading and hearing lessons made for you.
| HelloTalk | Bubblegum | |
|---|---|---|
| How you learn | Chat with language partners, and join Voicerooms and Livestreams | Poppy writes lessons, stories, and news at your level, and you read and listen |
| How words come back | Save words to Favorites; HelloWords, a separate tool, uses spaced repetition | Regenerative Review™: saved words come back in new lessons |
| Real people to talk with | Partners by text, voice, and video | No |
| Phone apps | iPhone and Android | iPhone and Android |
| On the web | A web version you sign in to with the phone app | Free guides and alphabet courses |
| Languages | 260+ to practice | 60 |
| Menu languages | 16 on its iPhone listing | 74 |
Bubblegum's 60 languages are on its list of languages, and you can set its menus to any of 74.
Who Each App Is Best For
HelloTalk
HelloTalk calls itself the original language exchange app. You can filter partners by things like age and location, and Voicerooms are made to be an easy way for shy learners to practice speaking. It works well for learners who want real conversations and are happy to help others learn their language in return.
- Find people who speak the language you're learning and want to learn yours.
- Built-in tools help with translation, pronunciation, transliteration, and corrections.
- Voicerooms let you join live group conversations on topics you like.
- Share posts and ask questions, and people who speak the language answer.
MobileWeb
Bubblegum
Bubblegum is the best app for serious learners. You learn from text and audio you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
If talking with strangers feels like a big step, start with reading. Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, what you'd like to chat about one day, like music or your hometown, and she writes a lesson at your level with the words you'd need. You can read it and hear it, and ask her about any part.
The trade-off is that Bubblegum can't give you a real conversation with a person. For chatting with people who speak the language, HelloTalk is the better choice.
- Lessons are written for your level, so you can follow them without a partner's help.
- You can play every lesson aloud, and read stories and news too.
- Ask Poppy about any line, any time, and she explains what it means.
- Words you save come back in new lessons through Regenerative Review™, so you read them again in new contexts.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- There are no people to chat with or to correct you.
- You can't paste in messages, articles, or books of your own.
- A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn.
- Regenerative Review™
Mobile
Choose HelloTalk if:
- You want to chat with real people who speak the language you're learning.
- You're happy to help others learn your language in return.
- You'd like to practice speaking in live group rooms.
Choose Bubblegum if:
- You want reading and listening that's written for your level.
- You'd like answers to your questions any time, without waiting for a partner.
- You'd rather build up words and confidence before you start talking with people.
Using Both Together
Bubblegum gives you words and phrases inside lessons you can follow, and HelloTalk gives you people to try them out with. Read a few lessons, then bring what you learned into a chat later in the week.
Common Questions
Which app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning a language, start with Bubblegum. Poppy writes lessons at your level about things you like. Or start with HelloTalk if you'd like to meet language partners from your first week.
Can Bubblegum help me get ready for conversations?
Yes. Ask Poppy for a lesson built around a chat you expect to have, like introducing yourself or talking about your job. You'll read and hear the phrases at your level first, so they feel familiar when you use them with a person. In many languages, you can also say them out loud to Poppy in live voice chat.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn. It holds lessons that other learners asked Poppy for. A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- HelloTalk: Chat with language partners, Voicerooms and Livestreams
- HelloTalk: Download for iOS, Android and the web, and HelloWords
- HelloTalk FAQ: What is HelloTalk?
- HelloTalk FAQ: How much does HelloTalk cost?
- HelloTalk FAQ: Is there a PC or web version?
- HelloTalk: iPhone App Store listing
- Bubblegum: Every language you can learn
- Bubblegum
Checked on October 14, 2026 against each app's own pages.
