Open Source Alternative to Speaky: LangX vs Speaky (2026)

LangX is an open source alternative to Speaky: a language exchange app with public code (BSD-3), two-way matching, and corrections that are unlimited on every plan. Speaky is still running in September 2026 and is free to use, with a huge language list, a web version and new AI practice partners, so it is worth comparing both before you switch.

#Is Speaky still working in 2026?

Yes. People often search for a Speaky alternative because they assume it has shut down, but at the time of writing (September 2026) Speaky is active. Its Google Play listing was last updated on September 8, 2026, with a fix for notifications and newly added Cantonese, and the iOS app is listed under the developer Altissia. It also runs in the browser at web.speaky.com.

Speaky has also changed. Its App Store listing now describes an interactive map for finding partners nearby or worldwide, AI practice partners with their own personalities and voices, a vocabulary game called Mojiku, and identity verification. Older store reviews, mostly from 2019 to 2022, complained about disconnections and messages failing to send; the app has been updated many times since, so try it yourself before deciding.

If Speaky still works well for you, there may be no reason to leave. If it does not, or you want something open source, read on.

#LangX vs Speaky at a glance

Details about Speaky come from its official store listings at the time of writing (September 2026). Where we could not confirm something, the table says so.

	LangX	Speaky
Matching	Two-way: you only see people who speak what you learn and learn what you speak	Search the community and message partners directly; map of partners nearby or worldwide
Corrections	Hold any message to correct it, or post a sentence to the Feed; unlimited on every plan	Partners can correct each other’s messages
Translation	Built into the chat; 20 a day on Free, 300 on Fluent, 1000 on Polyglot	Not confirmed
Voice and calls	Voice, photo and video messages; read-aloud; no live calls	Chat with partners; AI practice partners with voices; built-in live calls not confirmed
Free plan	Yes: unlimited replies and corrections, 5 new conversations a day	Free to use
Paid plan	Yes: Fluent and Polyglot	None listed in the stores
Ads	None	Google Play marks the app as containing ads
Open source	Yes, BSD-3, self-hostable	No
Platforms	iOS, Android, web	iOS, Android, web
Languages	182 listed in the app	170+ listed
Community size	Small and growing	Larger; 5M+ downloads on Google Play

Table: LangX vs Speaky, feature by feature (September 2026).

#What Speaky does well

Speaky has been around for years, and a fair Speaky alternative page should say what it gets right.

• Free to use. Speaky lists no paid plan in the app stores. You can search for partners and chat without paying.
• Low friction. You can find someone and write to them straight away, without a formal matching step or an application review.
• A big language list. Speaky lists more than 170 languages and users from 195 countries.
• A larger community. Google Play lists more than five million downloads, far more than LangX has today.
• Web access. web.speaky.com lets you chat from a computer.
• New practice tools. AI practice partners, an interactive map and the Mojiku word game give you things to do when no human partner is online.

#Where LangX differs from Speaky

#An open source alternative to Speaky

LangX’s app and API are public on GitHub under the BSD-3 license. You can read how matching works, check what the app sends, report and fix bugs, or run your own instance. Speaky is closed source. If you want an app you can inspect rather than trust, that is the main reason to pick an open source alternative to Speaky.

#Two-way matching

Speaky lets you message anyone. LangX’s Discover only shows people who speak the language you are learning and are learning a language you speak, so every chat has something in it for both people. It means fewer messages from people who have nothing to exchange with you. What is a language exchange explains why that balance matters.

#Corrections as the core feature

On LangX you hold any message to suggest a better version, or post a sentence to the Feed and let the community correct it. Corrections and replies are unlimited on every plan. The free plan caps new conversations you start (5 a day) and translations (20 a day), never how much you talk or teach.

#Built-in translation and read-aloud

Translation sits inside the chat, so you do not leave the conversation to look up a word, and you can hold a message to hear it read aloud. Free includes 20 translations and 15 read-alouds a day; the plans page lists the rest.

#No ads

LangX has no ads and no advertising identifiers. It does use product analytics: PostHog on its EU cloud, including a masked screen recording on iOS and Android where every word and image is greyed out on the device before anything is sent. It is on by default and switches off in Settings → Privacy → Share usage data; the privacy policy lists exactly what is sent.

#Streaks, leaderboards and tokens

Daily streaks, leaderboards and the LangX Token reward showing up and helping others. The token is an in-app point for streak freezes and cosmetics; it cannot be bought, sold or withdrawn.

#Is LangX a free Speaky alternative?

Partly. LangX has a real free plan: unlimited text messages, unlimited replies and corrections, 5 new conversations a day and 20 translations a day, with no ads. But it also has two paid plans, Fluent and Polyglot, that remove or raise those limits and add extra filters and features. Speaky, as far as its store listings show, has no paid plan at all. If “completely free” matters most to you, Speaky has the edge; if you want no ads and unlimited corrections on a free plan, LangX does.

#LangX vs Speaky: who should pick which?

Stay with Speaky if you:

• want a free app with no paid tier
• like messaging anyone freely rather than only two-way matches
• want AI practice partners or a map of learners near you
• want a bigger pool of partners than LangX has today

Pick LangX if you:

• want an open source alternative to Speaky you can audit or self-host
• want every partner you see to be a two-way match
• care about corrections and want them unlimited
• want an app with no ads

#Speaky alternatives for former Speaky users

If you left Speaky, or it is not working for you, these apps like Speaky are the usual next stops:

• LangX: open source, two-way matching, unlimited corrections, no ads. Get the app.
• Tandem: a large, reviewed community with audio and video calls and group Parties. See LangX vs Tandem.
• HelloTalk: the biggest social network for learners, with Moments, Voicerooms and livestreams. See LangX vs HelloTalk, or Tandem vs HelloTalk to choose between those two.
• ConversationExchange: a simple, long-running website for finding partners to write to or meet. See LangX vs ConversationExchange.
• Bilingua: another exchange app built around matching partners. See LangX vs Bilingua.

Whichever you choose, how to find a language exchange partner and these conversation topics make the first week much easier.

#FAQ

#Has Speaky shut down?

No. At the time of writing (September 2026) Speaky is active: its Google Play listing was updated on September 8, 2026, and it also works on the web at web.speaky.com.

#What is the best open source alternative to Speaky?

LangX is an open source alternative to Speaky. The app and API are public under the BSD-3 license and can be self-hosted, and it focuses on two-way matching and unlimited corrections.

#Is there a free Speaky alternative?

LangX has a free plan with no ads, unlimited replies and corrections, 5 new conversations a day and 20 translations a day. Tandem and HelloTalk also have free versions with paid upgrades.

#LangX vs Speaky: which has more languages?

They are close. LangX lists 182 languages in the app and Speaky lists more than 170. Speaky’s larger community means more active partners in many of them.

#What are other apps like Speaky?

Tandem, HelloTalk, ConversationExchange and Bilingua are common apps like Speaky. The compare page lists every LangX comparison.

More comparisons: all comparisons · LangX vs Tandem · LangX vs HelloTalk · LangX vs ConversationExchange · LangX vs Bilingua · best language exchange apps