Best apps for British English pronunciation in 2026
For an app that listens to you and scores a British accent, Speakometer and ELSA Speak are the two that let you pick a British target: Speakometer has a British model based on Received Pronunciation (RP) with colour-coded IPA per sound, and ELSA Speak lists British among its accent choices, with AI feedback on sounds and word stress. Say It, built with 70,000+ recordings from Oxford, adds a British dictionary to record yourself against.
Free: YouGlish filters real YouTube clips to UK speakers, and BBC Learning English has a free video guide to every English sound. BoldVoice and TonePerfect are built around American English, so they are the wrong pick for a British target.
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 RP scorer for the price: Speakometer — British (RP) model, colour-coded IPA, from $4.99 a month.
- Best for British plus daily lessons: ELSA Speak — British among its accent choices; free plan of 2 lessons a day.
- Best for Oxford model audio: Say It — British dictionary with Oxford recordings; record and compare (no score).
- Best for hearing real British speakers: YouGlish — filter clips to UK or Scottish speakers; 20 free searches a day.
- Best free how-to videos: BBC Learning English — The Sounds of English, a video guide to every sound.
- Best for human feedback: Speechling — English UK course; a coach replies within 24 hours (paid plan for English).
- Not for a British target: BoldVoice and TonePerfect — both are built on American English.
At a glance
| App | British target | Feedback | Platforms | Free tier | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speakometer | Yes: British model based on Received Pronunciation (RP), or General American | 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) |
| ELSA Speak | Yes: British among its accent choices (also American, 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) |
| Say It | Yes: a British accent dictionary (36,000+ entries) | 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 | Premium from $13.49/month; British words and sound chart $7.99 (US App Store) |
| YouGlish | Yes: filter clips to UK speakers (Scottish is a separate filter) | 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) |
| BBC Learning English | Not stated on the pronunciation page | None: how-to videos | Web | Free to watch | Free |
| Speechling | Yes: an English UK course (and English US) | 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) |
| BoldVoice | No: 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) |
| TonePerfect | No: 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 British English (RP), or let you choose it?
- Does it listen to you and give feedback per sound, or only play model audio?
- Can you hear real British speakers, not just a dictionary voice?
- What is free, and what is the lowest US price?
1. Speakometer
Low-cost per-sound scoring against RP
You choose a British model based on Received Pronunciation (RP) or an American one, say a word, and get a score with colour-coded IPA showing which sounds were accurate. It lists 8,000+ minimal pairs and 65,000+ searchable words with British and American audio. The lowest-priced app here that scores you. Speakometer also publishes its own ranking of British pronunciation apps, where it places itself first.
2. ELSA Speak
Daily lessons with a British accent choice
An English pronunciation app whose App Store listing offers accent choices including British, American and Australian. You get real-time AI feedback on your sounds and word stress, and the Speech Analyzer adds feedback on intonation, fluency, grammar and vocabulary. The most complete daily-lesson app here with a British option; the free plan allows two lessons a day.
3. Say It
Oxford model audio, with IPA and stress for every word
A pronunciation dictionary app by Phona Ltd with 70,000+ recordings from Oxford. For each word you see the soundwave, syllables and which are stressed, tap the IPA symbols, slow the audio down, then record yourself and compare with the model. It does not score you — you judge the match — but the model audio and stress marks are precise. On iPhone and iPad.
4. YouGlish
Hearing how real British speakers say a word
Type a word or phrase and it plays clips from real YouTube videos where people say it, filtered by UK or Scottish speakers (or US, Irish, Australian, Canadian or New Zealand). The best free way to hear British pronunciation in natural speech rather than a dictionary voice. It does not score you.
5. BBC Learning English
Videos that show how each sound is made
The pronunciation section of BBC Learning English has The Sounds of English, a video guide to all the consonant and vowel sounds, and Tim’s Pronunciation Workshop, which shows how English is really spoken. Excellent for understanding what to do with your mouth. Nothing listens to you, so pair it with an app that does.
6. Speechling
A human coach checking your recordings
Speechling offers English UK and English US courses: you listen to a native speaker, record yourself, and a pronunciation coach sends feedback within 24 hours. A person can tell you what an automatic score cannot. 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 for speaking out loud, more a conversation course than an accent trainer. Its pages do not mention a British (or any) accent choice, so pick it for speaking time, not for RP.
8. BoldVoice
Not for British English: built around the American accent
A strong accent course with coach videos and AI feedback, but its own site describes it as American accent training. Listed here because it is often recommended for accent work: if your target is British English, choose Speakometer or ELSA Speak instead.
9. TonePerfect
That’s usNot for a British target: scores against American English
TonePerfect scores every sound (phoneme) in each word you say and names the sounds that stay weak for you, but the reference is standard American English and there is no British setting. A British vowel or an unpronounced r can therefore score as a miss. If you are aiming for RP, use Speakometer or ELSA Speak; TonePerfect fits learners who want an American target, or who practise one of its other seven languages.
Related
Questions about British pronunciation apps
What is the best app for British pronunciation?+
For an app that scores you against a British target: Speakometer (a British model based on Received Pronunciation, with colour-coded IPA per sound, from $4.99 a month on the US App Store) or ELSA Speak (British among its accent choices, with a free plan of two lessons a day). Say It adds Oxford model audio to copy, and YouGlish lets you hear real UK speakers.
Is there a free British pronunciation app?+
Several things are free: BBC Learning English’s pronunciation videos, 20 YouGlish searches a day filtered to UK speakers, ELSA Speak’s free plan of up to two lessons a day, Speakometer’s free download with optional Premium, and Say It’s free version with 100 example words covering all 44 sounds.
Which apps teach Received Pronunciation (RP)?+
Speakometer says its British model is based on Received Pronunciation (RP). ELSA Speak lists British English among its accent choices, Say It has a British accent dictionary with Oxford recordings, and Speechling has an English UK course; their sources do not use the term RP.
Can I learn a British accent with BoldVoice or TonePerfect?+
Not really. BoldVoice’s site calls it an American accent training app, and TonePerfect scores against a standard American English reference with no British setting. For a British target, use Speakometer or ELSA Speak, and YouGlish or BBC Learning English to listen.
Should I learn a British or an American accent?+
Either is widely understood; pick the one you hear most or need for work, study or an exam, and stay consistent so your vowels and r sounds do not mix. ELSA Speak, Speakometer, Say It and YouGlish cover both, so you can switch later without changing app.
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.
- Speakometer — app facts
- Speakometer — App Store listing (US)
- Speakometer — Best British pronunciation apps (its own ranking)
- 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
- Say It: English Pronunciation — App Store listing (US)
- YouGlish — home page (accent filter)
- YouGlish — subscription plans
- BBC Learning English — Pronunciation
- 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?
- BoldVoice — official website (American Accent Training App)
- BoldVoice — Frequently asked questions
- BoldVoice — App Store listing (US)
- TonePerfect — App Store listing (US)
Aiming for American English instead? TonePerfect scores every sound you say against an American reference. Free to start.