InterPals alternative - Talkabout compared with InterPals

InterPals and Talkabout both help people from different countries talk to each other for free, but they are built for different things. InterPals is a pen pal and language exchange site that has been running since 1998. Talkabout is a newer, browser-based language exchange for adults, built around live chat and correcting each other's messages. This page puts the two side by side so you can pick, or use both.

We make Talkabout, so read this with that in mind. Everything about InterPals comes from its own website, its app store listing or Trustpilot, read on 21 October 2026. Sites change, so check the sources at the bottom before you decide.

At a glance

What InterPals does well

InterPals is large and old, and that counts for something. Its homepage says it has more than 8.5 million users from over 180 countries, so if you want a pen pal in an unusual country, or someone who writes letters-style messages over months, it is one of the few places that has people there. You can search by country, language or interests, browse who is online now, and use the website or the iOS and Android apps. Its Trust and Safety page also describes confidential reports, instant blocking without notice, and a separate review when you appeal an account decision.

Where people look for something else

Trustpilot shows InterPals at 1.6 out of 5 from 145 reviews when we checked, and 80% of those reviews give one star. The recurring complaints are scammers and fake profiles, bans without a clear reason, slow answers to reports and unwanted sexual messages. Some reviewers also describe friendships that lasted years. The company replies to many negative reviews and says it is working on moderation.

Two things to keep in mind: reviews skew towards people who had a bad experience, and a site that is 28 years old has had a long time to collect them. Still, if safety or unwanted messages are why you're looking around, that's a reason to look at how each site is built, which is the next section.

InterPals is also open to teenagers from 13. It says adults cannot message younger teens, and search and messaging limits adjust by age. That is a sensible rule, but it means the people you meet range widely in age, which isn't what every adult wants from a language exchange.

How Talkabout is different

• Adults only. You have to be 18 or older. Under-18 sign-ups are turned away, and an account found to belong to someone under 18 is closed.
• Made for practising. Chats are live, and you can correct a message in place so the fix sits next to the original sentence. Profiles show what someone speaks and what they're learning, so you can find people who want your language.
• Safer by default. Photos and contact details can't be sent until you've both written in the chat, and new accounts have limits on how many new people they can start a chat with. These limits slow down mass messaging, which is what many scams rely on.
• Moderators and appeals. Reports go to a moderation team that can warn, suspend or ban with a written reason that cites a community rule, and you can appeal. Read how we think about staying safe.
• No download. It runs in your browser on any device.

What Talkabout isn't: it has no voice or video calls and no native iOS or Android app, and it is much smaller than InterPals. If you want those, the comparison of language exchange apps covers Tandem, HelloTalk and others.

Which should you choose?

• Choose InterPals if you want a large, long-established pen pal community, you like to write long messages over time, or you want people from places that smaller sites don't reach yet.
• Choose Talkabout if you're an adult who wants to practise a specific language now, with a chat that feels like a conversation, in a browser, with limits on what strangers can send you.
• Use both if you want the reach of the first and the structure of the second. Nothing stops you.

FAQ

What is a good InterPals alternative?

It depends on what you liked about InterPals. Talkabout is a free alternative for adults who want to practise a language in a web browser with live chat and inline corrections. If you want long-term pen pals of any age, InterPals itself or ConversationExchange fit better; for voice and video, Tandem and HelloTalk do.

Is Talkabout like InterPals?

Partly. Both are free to use and both connect people across countries. InterPals is a general pen pal site with a broad age range, started in 1998. Talkabout is narrower on purpose, for adults who want to practise a language, and it is built around live chat and correcting each other's messages.

Is InterPals safe?

InterPals describes tools for reporting, blocking and appeals on its Trust and Safety page, and says adults cannot message younger teens. Its Trustpilot page, with 145 reviews and a 1.6 out of 5 score when we checked, has many complaints about scammers, fake profiles and bans. Reviews are a sample of unhappy and happy members, not a measurement of safety, so read both sides.

Does Talkabout have an app?

Talkabout runs in your browser, on a phone or a computer, and can be added to a phone's home screen. There are no iOS or Android store apps.

Can I use Talkabout and InterPals together?

Yes. They don't depend on each other, so you can keep your InterPals account and try Talkabout alongside it.