Best apps for an American accent in 2026
For a structured American-accent course, BoldVoice is the most complete: its site calls it an American accent training app, with video lessons from accent coaches and AI feedback on your pronunciation, stress and clarity. ELSA Speak is the pick if you want American and British English in one app, and Speakometer is the lowest-priced app here that scores you, with a General American model and colour-coded IPA.
Free: YouGlish plays any word from real US speakers on YouTube, and TonePerfect’s browser test scores every sound you say against a standard American English reference, with no signup. For a person to listen, Speechling’s coaches review your recordings (English coaching is on the paid plan).
Facts checked · Sources
Written by TonePerfect, one of the apps listed. No app on this page paid to be included, and none is affiliated with us.
Quick picks by goal
- Best American-accent course: BoldVoice — coach video lessons plus AI feedback; 7 days free, then a subscription.
- Best for American and British in one app: ELSA Speak — accent choices include American, British and Australian; free plan of 2 lessons a day.
- Best low-cost sound-by-sound scorer: Speakometer — General American model, colour-coded IPA, from $4.99 a month.
- Best free sound-by-sound check: TonePerfect — free browser test against a standard American reference, no signup (not a course).
- Best for hearing real Americans: YouGlish — filter clips to US speakers; 20 free searches a day.
- Best for dictionary-style model audio: Say It — record and compare with Oxford recordings; American words are a $6.99 pack.
- Best for human feedback: Speechling — a coach replies within 24 hours (paid plan for English).
- Best for conversation practice: Speak — an AI conversation tutor; it does not state an accent choice.
At a glance
| App | American target | Feedback | Platforms | Free tier | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BoldVoice | Yes: its site calls it an American accent training app | AI analysis of your pronunciation, stress and clarity; video lessons from accent coaches | iOS, Android; sign-up on the web | First 7 days free; without a subscription only the first lesson stays open | From $14.99 (US App Store; period not labelled) |
| ELSA Speak | Yes: accent choices include American, British, Australian and more | Real-time AI feedback on sounds and word stress; the Speech Analyzer adds intonation and fluency | iOS, Android | Free plan: up to 2 lessons a day plus 3 AI lessons in total | From $19.99/month (US App Store) |
| Speakometer | Yes: General American model (or British RP) | A score per word with colour-coded IPA showing which sounds were accurate | iPhone, iPad, Android | Free to download, with optional Premium | From $4.99/month (US App Store) |
| Say It | Yes: an American English dictionary (36,000+ entries) sold as a $6.99 pack | No score: you record yourself and compare with the Oxford model recording, its soundwave, syllables and stress | iPhone, iPad | 100 example words covering all 44 sounds | American English words $6.99; Premium from $13.49/month (US App Store) |
| YouGlish | Yes: filter clips to US speakers | None: it plays YouTube clips of real people saying the word you type | Web, iOS, Android | 20 searches a day | From €3/month, billed yearly (YouGlish plans page) |
| Speechling | Yes: an English US course (and English UK) | A human pronunciation coach replies to your recordings within 24 hours | iOS, Android, web | Free plan with the full curriculum; its free coaching allowance excludes English | From $19.99/month (Speechling pricing page) |
| Speak | Not stated | AI conversation tutor; its listing says the AI assesses pronunciation, intonation and fluency | iOS, Android (not desktop) | 7-day free trial | From $17.99/month (US App Store) |
| TonePerfect | Scores against a standard American English reference; no accent choice | A score for every sound in every word; names the sounds that stay weak for you | iOS, Android, web | Free browser tests, no signup; app free tier with daily limits | From $12.99/month (US App Store) |
Prices are the lowest shown on the US App Store or the official pricing page on 30 October 2026. They change often and vary by country. “Not stated” means the sources below do not say.
What we compared
- Does the app say it targets American English, or let you choose it?
- Does it listen to you and give feedback per sound, or only play model audio?
- Does it teach how to make the sound (videos, tips), or only score it?
- What is free, and what is the lowest US price?
1. BoldVoice
A structured American-accent course with coach videos
Accent training for non-native English speakers; its site says it is especially popular with professionals. You record phrases and conversations, it analyses your pronunciation, stress and clarity, shows what to fix and gives targeted drills, and video lessons from accent coaches explain how to make each sound. It is the closest thing here to a full American-accent course. It has a seven-day trial rather than a free plan, and it is built around one accent, so it is not the pick if you want British English.
2. ELSA Speak
Daily accent practice, with American and other accents in one app
An English pronunciation app whose App Store listing offers accent choices including American, British and Australian. You get real-time AI feedback on your sounds and word stress, and the Speech Analyzer adds feedback on intonation (which keywords you stress), fluency, grammar and vocabulary. The free plan is usable on its own for two lessons a day; unlimited AI features need Premium.
3. Speakometer
Low-cost per-sound scoring with a General American model
You say a word and get a pronunciation score with colour-coded IPA showing which sounds were accurate, against an American (General American) or British (RP) model. It lists 8,000+ minimal pairs and 65,000+ searchable words. The lowest-priced app here that scores you; it works word by word, so it suits learners who like phonetic symbols. Speakometer also publishes its own ranking of American-accent apps, where it places itself second.
4. Say It
Oxford model audio to copy, word by word
A pronunciation dictionary app by Phona Ltd with 70,000+ recordings from Oxford. You see each word’s soundwave, syllables and stress, tap the IPA symbols, record yourself and compare with the model. It includes British and American accent dictionaries; on the US App Store the American words are a separate purchase. It does not score you, so you judge the match yourself.
5. YouGlish
Hearing how real Americans say a word
Type a word or phrase and it plays clips from real YouTube videos where people say it, filtered by US speakers (or UK, Australian, Canadian, Irish, Scottish or New Zealand). The best free way to hear a word in natural American speech before you practise it. It is a listening tool and does not score you.
6. Speechling
A human coach checking your recordings
You listen to a native speaker, record yourself, and a pronunciation coach sends feedback within 24 hours. Speechling offers English US and English UK courses. A person hears what automatic scores miss; the trade is waiting up to a day. Its pricing page excludes English from the free coaching allowance, so coach feedback on English needs the paid plan.
7. Speak
Speaking practice through AI conversations
An AI tutor app built around speaking out loud. It is a conversation course more than an accent trainer: choose it if what you lack is speaking time. Its pages describe a seven-day free trial but no free plan, do not mention an accent choice, and its help centre says it is not available on desktop.
8. TonePerfect
That’s usFinding which sounds make you hard to understand
Not an American-accent course: there are no coach videos and no accent lessons. What it does: you record English words or any sentence you type and it scores every sound (phoneme) in each word against a standard American English reference, then names the sounds that stay weak for you and shows how to make each one. The English pronunciation test runs free in the browser with no signup. It does not score intonation or sentence stress, and it trains pronunciation only — no conversation practice. Use it to find what to work on, and a course such as BoldVoice to work through an accent from the ground up.
Related
- Best apps for British English pronunciation →The same comparison for an RP / British target.
- Best apps for English pronunciation →All the main apps, whatever accent you aim for.
- American accent test →Read five short sentences and get a score for every word against a standard American reference. Free, no signup.
Questions about American accent apps
What is the best app for an American accent?+
For a full course, BoldVoice: its site calls it an American accent training app, with coach video lessons and AI feedback on pronunciation, stress and clarity. ELSA Speak lets you choose American English among several accents and has a free plan; Speakometer is the cheapest app here that scores you, with a General American model.
Is there a free American accent app?+
Partly. ELSA Speak’s free plan allows up to two lessons a day, Speakometer is free to download with optional Premium, YouGlish gives 20 free searches a day filtered to US speakers, and TonePerfect’s English pronunciation test scores every sound against an American reference free in the browser with no signup. BoldVoice and Speak offer seven-day free trials rather than free plans.
Which apps give feedback on my American accent sound by sound?+
Speakometer shows colour-coded IPA for each sound of a word against a General American model, and TonePerfect scores every sound in each word against a standard American English reference. ELSA Speak gives AI feedback on your sounds and word stress, and BoldVoice analyses your pronunciation, stress and clarity.
Can an app help with American intonation?+
Some say so. ELSA Speak’s Speech Analyzer gives feedback on intonation, and Speak’s App Store listing says its AI assesses pronunciation, intonation and fluency. BoldVoice says it analyses stress and clarity. Speakometer’s sources do not mention intonation, and TonePerfect does not score intonation or sentence stress.
Can I practise American and British English in the same app?+
Yes: ELSA Speak lists American, British and Australian accent choices, Speakometer has General American and British (RP) models, Say It includes American and British dictionaries, and YouGlish filters clips by US or UK speakers. BoldVoice and TonePerfect are American only. See the British pronunciation roundup for the British side.
How were these apps checked?+
Every fact about another app on this page comes from that app’s official website, help centre or US App Store listing, opened on 30 October 2026; the sources are listed below. Where a source does not say something, the table says “Not stated”. TonePerfect wrote this page and is one of the apps listed.
Sources
Every fact about another app on this page was checked against these pages on 30 October 2026. Store figures are from the US App Store; prices change often and vary by country.
- BoldVoice — official website (American Accent Training App)
- BoldVoice — Frequently asked questions
- BoldVoice — App Store listing (US)
- BoldVoice — Google Play listing (US)
- ELSA Speak — App Store listing (US)
- ELSA Speak — Google Play listing (US)
- ELSA Speak Help Center — What is included in the ELSA free plan
- ELSA Speak — Speech Analyzer
- Speakometer — app facts
- Speakometer — App Store listing (US)
- Speakometer — Best American accent training apps (its own ranking)
- Say It: English Pronunciation — App Store listing (US)
- YouGlish — home page (accent filter)
- YouGlish — subscription plans
- Speechling — home page (English US and English UK courses)
- Speechling — pricing
- Speak — App Store listing (US)
- Speak — official website (free trial)
- Speak Help Center — What devices does the Speak app support?
- TonePerfect — App Store listing (US)
Want to see which American English sounds you miss? TonePerfect scores every sound you say. Free to start.