HelloTalk transforms language learning with Agora

Education / Language Learning

Two smartphones display a language exchange app interface. One screen shows a "Find Partners" list with user profiles, while the other displays a chat conversation.

Problem

Latency, lack of scalability, and compliance

Solution

Agora’s reliable RTC, whiteboard, and transcription

Results

54% increase in downloads, totaling 7.08M

60%+ increase in daily and monthly active users

Improved quality, and technical stability of the platform

About HelloTalk

A comprehensive language learning platform

HelloTalk is a leading language-learning platform that grew from a few hundred thousand users in 2015 to more than 50 million users today. The platform facilitates language practice, grammar, and pronunciation through interactions with native speakers. Over the last decade, the platform has grown to become one of the largest social language learning platforms in the world.

Screenshot of HelloTalk language learning app interface showcasing features like correction suggestions, translation, and voice recognition. Users can search for partners by language, chat in text and voice rooms, and get corrections and translations in real time.

The Problem

Struggle with real-time engagement and scalability during the growth stage

Before Agora, HelloTalk ran into scalability problems and quality issues with their real-time communication vendor. HelloTalk users faced poor video quality, high latency, and frequent dropped calls.

Additionally, the previous provider’s lack of extensibility forced HelloTalk to slog through labor-intensive integrations to add various new features for voice and video communication, text messaging, transcription, interactive whiteboards, and file sharing.

Using multiple unconnected vendors and complex integrations made it difficult to monitor and moderate live language practice sessions, which resulted in increased customer complaints.

HelloTalk needed a reliable solution that offered ultra-low latency streaming for interactivity and a full suite of features and extensions. They started to look for a new provider for real-time engagement.

Issues with previous RTC solution:

Delayed and unreliable real-time communication

Poor voice and video quality

Dependency on multiple complex integrations

The Solution

High-quality interactive language learning with better engagement

HelloTalk decided to switch from their previous, unreliable RTC vendor and implement Agora to power their language learning platform.

The integration of LLM with Agora’s Real-Time Transcription equipped HelloTalk with advanced platform capabilities such as:

Live language analysis
Live translation
Language proficiency assessments
Interactive practice sessions
Contextual and personalized learning experiences

“Agora’s Real-Time Transcription enabled us to integrate with AI to automate translation and feedback, providing substantial improvements in the overall language learning experience.”

Zackery Ngai, CEO, HelloTalk

The improvement in quality and reliability for video and voice calling, interactive whiteboard and collaboration, and file sharing during language practice sessions enhanced platform usage and increased user engagement.

In addition, the platform no longer had to go through the strenuous integration process from different vendors for additional features like interactive whiteboards.

Agora Products

Video Calling Video Calling

Voice Calling Voice Calling

Interactive Whiteboard Interactive Whiteboard

Real-Time Transcription Real-Time Transcription

Flexible Classroom Flexible Classroom

Why HelloTalk chose Agora:

High-quality and reliable real-time communication

A suite of real-time tech features powered by AI

Simplified integration capabilities

An image displaying the HelloTalk app on three smartphones

Results and ROI

Boosting usage with a better product experience

Implementing Agora’s technology had an immediate and significant impact on HelloTalk’s product experience. Users reported a noticeable improvement in communication quality, reduced latency, and increased interactivity during language practice sessions.

The platform experienced increased app downloads by 54%, reaching a total of 7.08M. Daily active users (DAU) exhibited a 66% rise and monthly active users (MAU) by 61%,, amounting to 1.20M.

Results after implementing Agora:

54% increase in downloads, totaling 7.08M

60%+ increase in daily and monthly active users

Improved quality, and technical stability of the platform

App Builder

Flexible Classroom