SpeakBase vs YayTalk
SpeakBase vs YayTalk: two AI speaking tutors, compared honestly
Quick answer
YayTalk and SpeakBase are both AI speaking tutors: you talk out loud and get corrected. YayTalk teaches English only, through iOS and Android apps, with explanations in 17 listed native languages; on 26 September 2026 the US App Store listed YayTalk Pro at $19.99 a month or $29.99 to $59.99 a year, and YayTalk's own site advertises about $8 a month. SpeakBase is $11.99 a month or $119.99 a year for up to 20 minutes of conversation a day (about $4.80 per hour of speaking), works in any browser, also teaches Spanish, French, Italian, Hebrew, Greek, Russian and Arabic, and adds a mock interview on your own CV, quizzes on your own notes and teacher tools. Choose YayTalk for a lower yearly price in a mobile app; choose SpeakBase for a lower monthly price, more than one language and study tools around the conversation.
YayTalk has been advertising heavily, so it is worth being precise about what it is. Like SpeakBase, it is an AI tutor you speak to, not a marketplace of human teachers: its own site promises "real conversations with AI, instant feedback" on grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary, in scenarios such as job interviews, travel and daily life. The real differences are narrower than an ad suggests: which languages you can learn, which languages the tutor explains in, where it runs, what it costs per month or per year, and what surrounds the conversation. Every YayTalk fact on this page was read on yaytalk.ai, its help center, its terms, and its App Store and Google Play listings on 26 September 2026.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | SpeakBase | YayTalk |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An AI speaking tutor, Kate, that you talk to in live voice and that corrects you as you speak | An AI English conversation app: "real conversations with AI, instant feedback" on grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary (its own words) |
| Languages you can learn | English, plus Spanish, French, Italian, Hebrew, Greek, Russian and Arabic | English only |
| Explanations in your own language | Yes, in 10 languages: English, Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Turkish, German, Japanese and Vietnamese; Kate explains every correction as you talk | Yes, from a list of 17 native-language options: Spanish, Turkish, Chinese, Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazil), French, Hindi, German, Italian, Ukrainian, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Filipino. Hebrew and Arabic are not on the list |
| Where it runs | In the browser on any phone, tablet or computer, plus an installable app | iOS app (also listed for Mac with M1 and Apple Vision) and Android app. The site links a web sign-in at app.yaytalk.ai; we could not confirm whether lessons run in a browser |
| Monthly price | $11.99 a month | US App Store: YayTalk Pro Monthly $19.99. YayTalk's home page advertises "~$8/month" without naming the plan |
| Yearly and weekly price | $119.99 a year (about $10 a month) | US App Store: Pro Yearly listed at $29.99, $39.99 and $59.99 (about $2.50 to $5 a month); Pro Weekly at $6.99 and $9.99 |
| Speaking time included | Up to 20 minutes a day, 150 minutes a month: about $4.80 per hour of speaking at the full allowance | No minute limit published on the pages read, so no price per hour is calculated here |
| Trying it | The first lesson is free: five minutes with Kate, no card, no form | Free to download, with a "Try for Free" button; its help center mentions a free trial on the app stores, but no page read states its length or what is free |
| Beyond open conversation | Mock job interview on your own CV; "quiz me on my material" (upload your notes and Kate quizzes you out loud); a spoken level test; SmartMemory flashcards | Scenario practice; the App Store listing mentions "1000+ specific scenarios", a Pronunciation Coach and a personalized learning path |
| Teachers and classes | Classes, homework and per-student speaking reports for teachers | No teacher or classroom product on any page read |
| Who makes it | SpeakBase | IdeaLabs Pte. Ltd., Singapore (named in its terms, privacy policy and App Store listing) |
What a month costs: YayTalk vs SpeakBase (US$, September 2026)
Where YayTalk is genuinely stronger
If you already know you want a yearly plan and you only want English, YayTalk's listed App Store yearly prices ($29.99 to $59.99, about $2.50 to $5 a month) are lower than SpeakBase's $119.99 a year. It is built as a native mobile app for iPhone and Android, and the App Store also lists it for Mac and Apple Vision. Its list of native languages is long and strong in Asia: Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Filipino, Hindi and Chinese are all on it, alongside Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, French, German, Italian, Ukrainian and Russian. Its App Store listing describes more than a thousand scenarios and a dedicated Pronunciation Coach. And it has real scale behind it: 1M+ downloads and a 4.8 rating from 11K reviews on Google Play, and 4.7 from 7.1K ratings on the US App Store, as read on 26 September 2026.
The bottom line
Choose YayTalk if you want English only, in a phone app, on a yearly plan, and your native language is on its list. Choose SpeakBase if you would rather pay month to month ($11.99 against YayTalk's listed $19.99), practise in a browser on any device, learn a language other than English, or get more than open conversation: a mock interview on your own CV, spoken quizzes on your own notes, a spoken level test, SmartMemory flashcards and, for teachers, real classroom tools. If your first language is Hebrew or Arabic, SpeakBase explains in it and YayTalk's list does not include it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does YayTalk cost? Is it free?
YayTalk is free to download, but its App Store listing says a Premium subscription is needed for some features. On 26 September 2026 the US App Store listed YayTalk Pro Monthly at $19.99, YayTalk Pro Yearly at $29.99, $39.99 and $59.99, and YayTalk Pro Weekly at $6.99 and $9.99, without saying which price a given user sees. YayTalk's own home page advertises about $8 a month ("~$8/month") without naming the plan. Its help center refers to a free trial on the app stores, but none of the pages read stated how long it lasts. YayTalk publishes no minute limit, so this page does not calculate a price per hour.
Is YayTalk legit? Is it any good?
YayTalk is a real, established app: its terms, privacy policy and App Store listing name the operator as IdeaLabs Pte. Ltd., a company incorporated in Singapore, and on 26 September 2026 Google Play showed 1M+ downloads and 4.8 stars from 11K reviews, while the US App Store showed 4.7 from 7.1K ratings. Its terms offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on website purchases; App Store and Google Play purchases follow those stores' refund rules. Subscriptions renew automatically, and its help center warns that deleting the app does not cancel your subscription. Whether it is good for you depends on your needs: it covers English only, and Hebrew and Arabic are not among its native languages.
Which languages does YayTalk explain in?
On 26 September 2026 yaytalk.ai listed 17 native-language options: Spanish, Turkish, Chinese, Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazil), French, Hindi, German, Italian, Ukrainian, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Filipino. Hebrew and Arabic were not on the list. The only language YayTalk teaches is English. SpeakBase teaches English, Spanish, French, Italian, Hebrew, Greek, Russian and Arabic, and Kate explains corrections in 10 languages, including Hebrew and Arabic.
Can I use YayTalk on a computer?
YayTalk's home page promotes its iOS and Android apps, and the US App Store also lists it for Mac with an M1 chip and for Apple Vision. The site links a web sign-in at app.yaytalk.ai and its terms mention website purchases, but on 26 September 2026 we could not confirm whether lessons themselves run in a browser. SpeakBase runs in the browser on any phone, tablet or computer, with nothing to install, and can also be installed as an app.
How much does SpeakBase cost?
$11.99 a month or $119.99 a year, for up to 20 minutes a day and 150 minutes a month of live conversation with Kate. At the full allowance that is about $4.80 per hour of speaking. The first lesson is free, takes five minutes, and needs no card and no form.
Try a real conversation with KateFirst lesson free · works in your browser · corrections in your language