ELSA Speak
: How to use it, features, and the business problems it solves
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What is ELSA Speak?
ELSA Speak is an AI English speaking and pronunciation practice app from ELSA, Corp. (US). It scores the English you speak sound by sound and shows how to fix it, and offers role-play conversations with generative AI plus the Speech Analyzer, which rates a speech on pronunciation, intonation, fluency, grammar and vocabulary and estimates IELTS, TOEFL and TOEIC levels. Free to start; paid plans are ELSA Pro, Premium and Professional (7-day free trial). Its Japanese subsidiary is ELSA Japan G.K.
Business problems it solves
About "ELSA Speak"
What is ELSA Speak?
ELSA Speak is an AI English speaking and pronunciation practice app from ELSA, Corp. in the United States. ELSA stands for "English Language Speech Assistant": the AI listens to the English you speak, scores your pronunciation, and tells you on the spot what to fix and how. Alongside pronunciation lessons, it offers role-play conversations with generative AI and the "Speech Analyzer", which breaks a speech down into five areas: pronunciation, intonation, fluency, grammar and vocabulary.
The app grew out of an experience of co-founder and CEO Vu Van, who found at Stanford University that her English was not understood even when the grammar was correct (as told on the official site). The official site puts its learners at over 90 million, and the company set up a subsidiary in Tokyo (ELSA Japan G.K.) in 2023.
The app runs on smartphones (iPhone, iPad and Android), and the Speech Analyzer can also be used on the web. There is an official Japanese site (elsaspeak.com/ja), and the company advertises explanations in your native language ("Bilingual Support").
On the other hand, the language field of the app on the Japanese App Store lists English only (as of November 2, 2026). The role-play screen shown on the official Japanese site displays its menus in Japanese.
How to use
- Install the app and create an account Get "ELSA Speak" from the App Store or Google Play and sign up with Google, Apple, Facebook or email. The same account works on the official website.
- Take the level check and set your goal The app first measures your English level; once you choose a goal (work, interviews, exams, travel and so on), the AI builds a study plan around your weak points. You can choose American, British or Australian accents.
- Do the daily pronunciation lessons Work through game-like lessons a few minutes at a time, covering word and conversational pronunciation, stress, intonation and listening. Pronunciation is scored sound by sound, and the sounds you got wrong are highlighted.
- Practice speaking in AI role-plays Talk in English with generative AI in scenarios such as interviews, meetings and talking to shop staff, or in a scenario you create yourself. Feedback on pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary follows the conversation.
- Analyze free speech with the Speech Analyzer Record yourself speaking freely and the analysis splits it into pronunciation, intonation, fluency, grammar and vocabulary, with an estimated level expressed in terms of tests such as IELTS, TOEFL and TOEIC.
Features
- Pronunciation coach: scores words and sentences sound by sound and shows how to improve
- Lessons on stress, intonation and listening
- Practice with American, British or Australian accents
- AI role-play: act out interviews, meetings, customer service and everyday conversation with generative AI
- Interview coach and vocabulary tailored to careers and fields
- Create your own scenarios to talk about
- Speech Analyzer: analyzes free speech in five areas and shows estimated test scores
- Progress tracking and a study plan built around your weak points
- Lessons made with publishers such as HarperCollins, Pearson and Oxford University
The AI Conversation Coach lists lessons set in work situations such as "Promoting Tech Products Online" and "Understanding Tech Customers". The official pricing page advertises more than 10,000 lessons.
In role-plays you talk by voice with an AI counterpart (a customer, a colleague and so on), and suggested rephrasings and explanations appear on the spot.
On the role-play screen, a more natural way to say what you said and an explanation are shown for your English. You press the microphone button to speak and keep the conversation going as you listen to your counterpart's replies.
Pricing
The app is free to download and start; to use all lessons and AI role-plays you subscribe to a paid plan. Paid plans come with a 7-day free trial.
The prices shown on the official pricing page for Japan (ELSA Subscription Plans) are as follows (checked on November 2, 2026; the page shows a struck-through price next to a discounted price, and does not state whether tax is included).
| Term | Plan | Price shown | Struck-through price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 months | ELSA Premium (everyday English coaching + pronunciation) | ¥2,100/month | ¥3,000 |
| 1 year | ELSA Pro (pronunciation coaching only) | ¥7,840/year | ¥11,200 |
| 1 year | ELSA Premium (everyday English coaching + pronunciation) | ¥13,900/year | ¥22,400 |
| 1 year | ELSA Professional (career English coaching + all app features) | ¥17,100/year | ¥30,400 |
| Lifetime (one-time) | ELSA Pro | ¥134,667 | — |
| Lifetime (one-time) | ELSA Premium | ¥145,467 | — |
- The official English pricing page shows ELSA Pro at $89.99/year and ELSA Premium at $99.99/year
- In-app purchases follow App Store pricing; the Japanese App Store lists items such as "1 Year Elsa Premium ¥19,000", "3 months Elsa Premium ¥9,200" and "3 months Elsa Pro ¥3,590" (as of November 2, 2026). Prices differ depending on where you buy
- ELSA Business for companies (50+ learners) and ELSA Schools (21+ learners) are quoted individually
The prices on the web pricing page are discounted and may change over time. Before buying, check the price shown in the channel you will use (web, App Store or Google Play).
For companies and schools
ELSA Business for companies provides learning paths tailored to industry, role and English level, AI role-plays, phoneme-level pronunciation feedback, and an admin dashboard for tracking learning activity and changes in English level. It starts with a CEFR-based level assessment so organizations and individuals can see how they improve. The pricing section of the English site also lists enterprise administration such as SSO, LMS integration and APIs.
The Japanese business page displays logos of companies including YKK AP, transcosmos, NTT DATA, MUFG, JR East and Ajinomoto. In education, the official company history lists a partnership with the Kyotango Board of Education (2022) and with COMPASS (Qubena) (2023), and the Japanese site features Seiko Gakuin Junior and Senior High School as a case study.
How it differs from other AI English conversation apps
| Product | Focus | Starting price | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELSA Speak | Pronunciation scoring and correction + AI conversation | Free to start; paid from ELSA Pro ¥7,840/year (web discounted price) | Sound-by-sound scoring, estimated test scores in Speech Analyzer |
| Speak | Speaking practice to increase output | Premium ¥19,800/year | Curriculum plus free conversation with an AI tutor |
| スピークバディ | Role-play with AI characters | 1-month plan ¥3,980/month | 1,000+ scenes, made in Japan |
| TalkMe | Conversation practice with avatars | Free to start (prices per app store) | Scenario role-plays and phoneme-level feedback |
| LingoChamp | Pronunciation scoring | No price stated officially | International version scaled back, updates stalled |
Starting prices are as listed on each product page at the time it was checked.
Among AI English conversation apps, Speak and スピークバディ (SpeakBuddy) center on increasing how much you speak, whereas ELSA Speak started out scoring and fixing pronunciation sound by sound and is strongest at pronunciation correction. If immersive conversations with avatars matter more, consider TalkMe; LingoChamp is an early pronunciation-scoring app worth comparing. To learn in a game-like way, including languages other than English, there is Duolingo.
FAQ
Q. Can I use it for free? A. The app is free to download and start. Using all lessons and AI role-plays requires a paid plan such as ELSA Pro or Premium, which comes with a 7-day free trial.
Q. What is the difference between ELSA Pro and ELSA Premium? A. The official pricing page describes ELSA Pro as "pronunciation coaching only" and ELSA Premium as "everyday English coaching + pronunciation". Premium is the one for practicing everyday English in conversations with the AI. Above them is ELSA Professional, "career English coaching + all app features".
Q. Can I use it in Japanese? A. There is an official site for Japan, and the company advertises explanations in your native language (Bilingual Support). However, the language field of the app on the Japanese App Store lists English only (as of November 2, 2026). Support is reached at support@elsanow.io.
Q. Why do prices differ between the web and the app? A. The official website's pricing page (web) and in-app purchases on the App Store and Google Play have separate prices. The web pricing page shows discounted prices that may change over time, so check the price in the channel you buy through.
Q. Can my company adopt it for a team? A. ELSA Business is available for companies (50+ learners), with individually quoted pricing. Administrators can follow learning activity and changes in English level on a dashboard.
Provider
ELSA, Corp. (United States; its terms of service are governed by California law). Co-founder Vu Van has been CEO since 2016. In 2019, ELSA raised a $7M Series A led by Gradient Ventures (the Japanese business page describes this as "invested in by Google's AI investment arm") and closed a $15M Series B in 2021. It set up a Japanese subsidiary in Tokyo in 2023, and the official Japanese site lists ELSA Japan G.K. (Link Square Shinjuku 16F, 5-27-5 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo).
The information on this page is based on what was published on the official website (Japanese and English versions and the pricing page) and the App Store as of November 2026. Prices include discounted displays and may change, so please check the official website for the latest information.
