Language Exchange Websites: 8 Free Sites That Work in Your Browser

Not everyone wants another app. Maybe your phone is full, you practise on a work laptop, or you just prefer a big screen and a real keyboard. The good news: plenty of language exchange happens in the browser, and most of it is free.

This guide compares eight websites honestly: what each is for, and what the catch is.

Olu is an independent app, not affiliated with ConversationExchange, MyLanguageExchange, Polyglot Club, InterPals, Free4Talk, Speaky, HelloTalk or any site named here. Names are used only for comparison. Features and plans of third-party sites change often; check each one yourself.

At a glance

Site	Best for	How you meet people	Format	Cost model
ConversationExchange	Finding any kind of partner, simply	Search members	Pen pal, chat, or meet in person	Free
MyLanguageExchange	Old-school pen pals, with lesson plans	Search members	Messages; you arrange chats	Free profile; Gold to contact (per many reviews)
Polyglot Club	Real-life meet-ups	Search members, community, events	Online community, forums, events	Free; optional premium
InterPals	Long-term pen pals and friends	Search and message	Messages	Free
Free4Talk	Speaking in a group, right now	Pick a room and join	Group voice and video rooms	Free
Speaky	A big pool of partners	Browse and message	Text and voice	Free
HelloTalk (web)	Typing to app partners on a big screen	Partners you found in the app	Messages only on the web	Free; VIP adds extras
Olu	Texting a real person now, translated	One tap, an online member	Text only	Free, no ads, no paid plan

1. ConversationExchange: the simple all-rounder

One of the oldest and plainest exchange sites. You make a profile with your languages, then search for one of three things: a pen pal for reading and writing, a partner for voice or video chat, or someone to meet face to face in your city. You agree on how to talk, often moving to a call app you both use.

Good: free, no clutter, and one of the few ways to find a partner nearby. Catch: it looks dated, many profiles are old and quiet, and you arrange calls yourself.

2. MyLanguageExchange: pen pals with a plan

A long-running site where you search members by language, country and age, then write to them. It's known for its suggested lesson plans, which give an exchange some structure.

Good: structured, a big member base over many years. Catch: many reviews say you need the paid Gold membership to contact people, and the design hasn't changed much in a long time.

3. Polyglot Club: when you want to meet people

A free community where you find exchange partners, ask language questions in the forums and, in many cities, go to real-life language events. If you'd rather practise over a coffee than a screen, it's the one to look at. An optional premium adds extras.

Good: in-person events in many cities. Catch: event quality depends on the local organiser, and like any social site it has some fake profiles: report them and meet in public places.

4. InterPals: for long-term pen pals

A big pen-pal site with members in almost every country. Many use it for language practice, many just for friendship. You search, write and wait for a reply. We compare it in more detail in InterPals alternatives.

Catch: replies can be slow, and some members are there for flirting. It's for adults, and it's a slow-burn tool, not a "talk now" one.

5. Free4Talk: group rooms in your browser

A website of live group voice and video rooms. You don't get matched with one person; you pick a room by language or topic and join. It's the fastest way to hear and speak a language with real people today, without installing anything.

Catch: most people in the rooms are learners, moderation is light, and nobody corrects you unless you ask.

6. Speaky: a large pool, web included

Speaky works on the web as well as on phones, with text and voice. It says it has about 5 million users, which makes it a useful second place to look. See Speaky alternatives for how it compares.

Catch: reviews mention people who are more interested in socialising than learning, and some bugs.

7. HelloTalk on the web

HelloTalk is a phone app first, with the biggest member base in language exchange and translation and corrections inside every chat. Its help centre describes a browser version too: you sign in by scanning a QR code with the app, and it handles messaging only, so Moments and other features stay on the phone. It's handy for typing long messages to partners you already have.

Catch: you still need the app to find people and sign in, and many first messages go unanswered. Read HelloTalk alternatives if it hasn't worked for you.

8. Olu: a real person to text right now

Olu is a free, ad-free, text-only chat that runs in any browser, no install needed. On the Language learners planet you choose the language you're learning and tap to take off. People who speak that language and are learning yours are matched with you first, then anyone else on the planet. You don't browse profiles or wait for replies: the person you meet is online now.

Every message is translated both ways and the original is always visible. The language you're practising shows big and the translation small, so you read the real sentence first. If you freeze, write in your own language and switch line by line.

Honest limits: text only, no voice, video, feed or correction tool. The community is small, much smaller than HelloTalk's or InterPals', so at quiet hours there may be nobody from your language online; when that happens, you're told. AI chat partners exist only outside the planet, on a regular flight, and they're always labelled AI. It's for friendship and practice, not dating.

Which site fits you?

You want…	Try
A partner in your city	ConversationExchange or Polyglot Club
Structured exchanges with lesson plans	MyLanguageExchange
Long letters and a slow friendship	InterPals
To speak out loud today, in a group	Free4Talk
Translation and corrections in the chat (app, with web chat)	HelloTalk
To text one real person right now, translated	Olu

Most people do best with two: one place to talk and one to write. If you're happy with an app, our best language exchange apps list covers Tandem, Lingbe, HiNative and Slowly too.

Tips that work on any site

1. Fill in your profile properly. Say which languages, your level, when you're free and what you like talking about. Empty profiles get no replies.
2. Write to people learning your language. The exchange is fair, so they have a reason to answer.
3. Open with a real question. Not "hi", but "What should I eat if I visit your city?" More in how to find a language exchange partner online.
4. Agree on the split. Fifteen minutes in each language keeps it fair.
5. Stay safe. Keep your address and full name private, never send money, meet in public, and be careful with anyone who wants to move to another app straight away.