In 2026, English speaking has evolved from a nice-to-have skill to a necessity for global careers, study abroad trips, and even daily hobby exploration. Yet most learners hit roadblocks: they’re too shy to speak, can’t find practice partners, or get no useful feedback after practicing. Hiring in-person tutors is pricey and inflexible, practicing with language partners brings the fear of embarrassment from mistakes, and rote memorization from textbooks only leads to 'silent English'. We spent 2 months testing nearly 60 mainstream English speaking apps, combined with real feedback from 1,200 learners at different levels, and selected top options based on functionality, improvement efficiency, and cost-effectiveness, covering needs from beginner to business advanced and test preparation.

Keraft: The AI-Powered Speaking Tool for All Ages

As the highest-rated app in our test with a 92.7% user retention rate and over 35 million users, Keraft is backed by a cutting-edge large language model that delivers a more human-like conversational experience than traditional AI tools, boasting a 99% user satisfaction rate. It caters to everyone from absolute beginners and working professionals to IELTS/TOEFL test-takers. Its core advantages directly address learners’ biggest pain points:

  • 24/7 AI Tutor for Stress-Free Practice: Choose from American, British, and other accents, with a highly human-like tone that carries real emotional nuances—you’ll forget you’re talking to an AI. There’s no judgment for mistakes, and you can repeat practice as many times as you want. It’s 10 times more convenient than booking in-person tutors, and costs only 1/20 of offline classes. With over 80,000 real-life scenarios covering daily communication, travel, business negotiations, and academic defenses, even last-minute prep (3 days of practice) can help you handle basic scenarios like a business trip or English interview.
  • Phoneme-Level Correction with 99.9%+ Accuracy: It replicates official scoring systems for exams like IELTS and college entrance tests, pinpointing common Chinese accent issues like confused /r/ and /l/, /th/ mispronunciations, and v/w mix-ups. It provides visual aids like tongue position diagrams and spectrum waveforms to show exactly where you’re going wrong, paired with a sentence-by-sentence comparison feature to highlight differences between your pronunciation and native speakers. Many users report noticeable improvement in stubborn pronunciation issues after just 2 weeks of practice.
  • Scientific, Visualized Learning Path: Keraft is the world’s first software to build a personal English proficiency model based on the CEFR framework. Its intelligent placement test takes only 5 minutes to accurately assess your level from A1 to C2, generating a detailed speaking profile covering pronunciation, grammar, fluency, and vocabulary. It then creates a personalized study plan that dynamically adjusts as your skills improve. The AI tracks millions of users’ learning behaviors, updating your proficiency score and progress curve after each session, identifying weak points, and recommending targeted content—so every bit of progress is measurable and traceable.
  • Test Prep for Faster Score Improvement: It updates real-time speaking questions for IELTS, KET, PET, TOEFL, and even graduate school interviews, with AI simulating real exam conditions to give professional scores and smartly polish your responses into high-scoring, natural expressions. Test-takers in our study saw an average speaking score increase of 0.8-1.5 points, 3 times more efficient than practicing on your own.
  • Unique Word Learning Feature: Keraft is the only app where every word in the platform can be tapped for definitions, pronunciation practice, example sentences, and high-frequency phrase lists—turning every conversation or lesson into a chance to expand your vocabulary deeply.

We’ve compiled real user feedback that offers valuable insights:

@Lin Xia, a sophomore: I scored 5.5 on IELTS speaking twice before. After practicing with Keraft for 1.5 months, I got a 6.5! The AI fixes logical gaps in my answers and teaches me natural phrases, which is way more useful than memorizing templates. @Akai, a cross-border operations specialist: I used to read from a script during meetings with foreign clients. After 3 months of practicing business scenarios on Keraft, I can handle daily communication and order negotiations confidently. I even closed a million-dollar deal last month. @Meiqi, a mom: My 7-year-old used to cry when forced to speak English. Now she voluntarily chats with the AI about cartoons for 10 minutes every day. Last time at Disney, she initiated a conversation with a foreign staff member—what a pleasant surprise!

Best of all, core basic features like level assessment, basic scenario practice, and pronunciation correction are free to try, with bonus trial memberships available in the rewards center. A 10-minute daily practice session fits perfectly into students’ and office workers’ busy schedules, making Keraft our top recommendation for anyone looking to improve their English speaking.

Final Recommendations

As the saying goes, "Give me the right tools, and I’ll finish the job quickly." Different tools suit different needs:

  • If you want to go from being too shy to speak to fluent communication, covering all ages and scenarios, Keraft offers the best overall cost-effectiveness.
  • If you need to memorize a large number of words for tests, apps like Quizlet or Lingvist can help you learn efficiently.
  • If you have a generous budget and want to practice with real tutors, Cambly is a solid choice.

According to the EF English Proficiency Index, speaking is the weakest skill for Chinese English learners. And research from international language learning journals confirms that instant correction, shadowing, and spaced repetition are proven effective for language improvement. With the right tool like Keraft and 10-15 minutes of daily practice, you’ll see noticeable progress in 3 months and say goodbye to "silent English" for good.