OluWhat is Olu?
Olu (oluchat.com) is a free text chat app for making friends in other countries. One tap matches you with a real person who is online now, somewhere else in the world, and every message is translated both ways with the original visible. It has no ads, no paywall and no video. It is for adults (18+) and for friendship and language practice, not dating.
Start a chatOlu at a glance
- What it is
- A text chat app for meeting people in other countries, one to one
- Website
- oluchat.com, works in any phone or computer browser and installs as an app
- Price
- Free. No ads, no paywall, no paid matches
- Translation
- Every message is translated both ways by AI; the original stays visible
- Format
- Text chat. No video and no voice calls
- Who it is for
- Adults (18+) who want friends abroad or language practice. Not a dating app
- Sign-up
- A first name, gender, birth year and an email code. No phone number
- Launched
- September 2026
- Reach
- People from 88 countries have joined (October 2026)
- Independent
- Not affiliated with Ablo, Azar, Omegle, HelloTalk, Tandem or any other app
How Olu works
Take off
Tap once and Olu matches you with a real person who is online now in another country. Each chat is a "flight", and you collect miles and fill a passport with the countries you reach.
Chat in any language
You write in your language and they read it in theirs. Olu translates every message both ways with AI and always shows the original under it, so language learners can see the real words.
Planets
Planets are interest groups: Language learners, Travellers, Teachers, Health workers, Developers, University students, Gamers, Home cooks and more. On the Language learners planet, Olu pairs you first with people who speak the language you are learning and are learning yours.
Message in a bottle
When few people are online, you can leave a short message. It goes to one real person active in the last two weeks, in another country first, translated into their language.
AI chat partners, always labelled
If nobody is free on a regular flight, Olu can offer an AI chat partner. It is always marked as AI. AI partners never appear on planets or in bottles.
Olu compared with similar apps
| How you meet people | Translation | Voice or video | Free to meet people | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olu | One tap, matched with someone online now | Both ways, original visible | No, text only | Yes, no paid tier |
| HelloTalk | You browse profiles and message | Built in | Yes | Yes, VIP adds extras |
| Tandem | You browse profiles and message | Built in | Yes | Yes, Pro adds extras |
| Ablo | Random match in another country | Both ways | Yes | Closed on 30 September 2022 |
Details of other apps change; check each app before you choose. More in our Tandem alternatives, HelloTalk alternatives and apps like Ablo guides.
Safety and privacy
Olu is text only. Phone numbers, social handles and other contact details are stopped before they reach the other person, and anyone can be reported or blocked from inside a chat. Users must be 18 or older. Read the safety rules and the privacy policy. Questions go to help@oluchat.com.
Boarding pass · free
Tap, fly to a random country, and chat with someone who lives there.
Text first, translated both ways, no video, no coins to meet people. Works in your browser.
Take off on OluQuestions about Olu
What is Olu?
Olu (oluchat.com) is a free text chat app for making friends in other countries. One tap matches you with a real person who is online now, and every message is translated both ways, so you can talk with someone who doesn't share your language.
Is Olu free?
Yes. Olu is free to use, with no ads and no paywall. There are no paid matches or premium filters.
Is Olu a dating app?
No. Olu is for friendship and language practice between adults. Users must be 18 or older.
Do I need to download Olu?
No. Olu works in the browser on any phone or computer at oluchat.com. You can add it to your home screen to use it like an app.
Are the people on Olu real?
Matches on a flight, a planet or a bottle are real people. When nobody is free on a regular flight, Olu may offer an AI chat partner, and it is always labelled as AI.
Is Olu safe?
Chats are text only, and phone numbers, social handles and other contact details are stopped before they reach the other person. You can report or block anyone from inside a chat. The safety page explains the rules and how reports are handled.
How is Olu different from HelloTalk or Tandem?
On HelloTalk and Tandem you browse profiles and message people. On Olu you tap once and are matched with someone online now, and it is text only with translation both ways. All three are free to start.
Is Olu related to Ablo?
No. Olu is independent. Ablo was a different app that closed on 30 September 2022. Olu is built around a similar idea: a random person in another country, text first, translated both ways.