Tête-à-Tête vs ScoreMySpeech: Which Is Better for GCSE Speaking Practice?

Tête-à-Tête and ScoreMySpeech are two AI speaking-practice apps built specifically for GCSE French and Spanish. Both let you practise out loud, get feedback, and sit timed mock exams without booking a tutor. They differ in exam-board coverage, where you can use them, how you get access for free, price, and support for teachers. The right choice depends on your board, your device and your budget.

Disclosure: This article is written by Tête-à-Tête. We have done our best to represent ScoreMySpeech accurately and fairly, including the areas where it has a genuine advantage. Facts about ScoreMySpeech come from its own website, checked in September 2026. If you want a wider view of GCSE speaking-practice options, including Marvely, Duolingo and human tutors, see our GCSE speaking practice guide.

What this comparison covers:

• Exam boards and tasks supported
• Marking and feedback
• Mock exams
• Free access and pricing
• Platforms and teacher tools
• Verdict by student type
• FAQs

At a Glance

Feature	Tête-à-Tête	ScoreMySpeech
Languages	French, Spanish	French, Spanish
Exam boards	AQA, Edexcel, Cambridge IGCSE	AQA, Edexcel, Pearson Edexcel IGCSE, Cambridge IGCSE
Tiers	Foundation and Higher where the board has them	Foundation and Higher
Tasks covered	Each board's speaking tasks: role play, reading aloud, photo card or picture task, conversation	Conversation, photo card, role play, read aloud
Coaching	Optional spoken feedback after each answer in practice (on by default)	Coaching mode for tips, plus an exam mode
Full timed mocks	Yes: estimated marks on the board's mark scheme and a GCSE grade for that mock	Yes, with a report described as a practice estimate
Free access	7 practice sessions + 2 mocks per rolling 30 days, no card	7-day free trial, no card
Paid price	From £9.99/month	£4.99/month or £44.99/year
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	iOS, Android
Teacher tools	Classes, join codes, assignments, completion view	None listed on its website

Exam Boards and Tasks

This is the first thing to check, because if an app does not support your board, nothing else matters.

AQA and Edexcel

Both apps cover AQA and Edexcel GCSE at Foundation and Higher tier. The two boards' speaking tests are built differently:

• AQA (French 8652, Spanish 8692): three parts. A role-play; reading aloud followed by a short unprepared conversation; and a photo card (two photos) followed by an unprepared conversation on the card's theme.
• Edexcel (French 1FR1, Spanish 1SP1): read aloud, role play, and a picture task followed by a conversation.

Cambridge IGCSE

Both apps also cover Cambridge IGCSE (French 0520, Spanish 0530): a role play followed by two topic conversations. It has no Foundation or Higher split.

Pearson Edexcel IGCSE

ScoreMySpeech wins here. It supports Pearson Edexcel IGCSE; Tête-à-Tête does not. If you are sitting Pearson Edexcel IGCSE, ScoreMySpeech is the choice of the two.

How board selection works

On Tête-à-Tête you choose your board and tier before you start, and the AI examiner keeps to that level for the whole session. It does not make the questions easier or harder as you go. ScoreMySpeech also lets you choose a board and tier, and offers separate coaching and exam modes.

Marking and Feedback

Tête-à-Tête

The AI examiner responds to what you actually say, with follow-up questions the way a real examiner would. It does not change its level to match yours, and it is not a tutor.

In practice sessions, coaching feedback is on by default: after each answer, the examiner gives you spoken feedback on what you said. Switch it off and the session runs silently, like the exam, and your scores are still recorded.

What you are marked on depends on the task:

• Photo card and general conversation: scores for six skills: pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency, interaction and confidence.
• Role play and reading aloud: marked per task and per phase, the way the boards mark them.

ScoreMySpeech

ScoreMySpeech offers a coaching mode "for tips" and an exam mode "for realism". It describes its results as "a practice estimate, not an official mark or grade prediction".

The key difference

On feedback, the two are closer than they look: both give you coaching while you practise and a stricter exam setting when you want it. The bigger differences are elsewhere: board coverage, where you can practise, free access and teacher tools.

Mock Exams

Both apps offer full timed mocks, which is one of the most valuable things either can do for you. Running a complete mock under realistic conditions is the closest you can get to the real thing before the day.

Tête-à-Tête mocks

A Tête-à-Tête mock runs the full speaking test for your board and tier, in the board's order and with the board's preparation time. At the end you get estimated marks on your board's own mark scheme and a GCSE grade for that mock. On the free plan, you get two mocks per rolling 30 days.

ScoreMySpeech mocks

ScoreMySpeech mocks use board-specific timings and preparation time, and end with a report. It describes the result as a practice estimate.

Bottom line: both apps deliver a genuine full-mock experience. Any AI mark is an estimate, ours included. Neither app's result is an official mark, and neither replaces your teacher's assessment. Use mock results to track progress and find your weakest part.

Free Access and Pricing

ScoreMySpeech is cheaper if you pay. That is worth stating plainly.

Free access

	Tête-à-Tête	ScoreMySpeech
Free access	7 practice sessions + 2 mocks per rolling 30 days	7-day free trial
Card required	No	No

Tête-à-Tête's free allowance renews on a rolling 30-day basis, so you can keep practising at a low volume without paying. ScoreMySpeech's free trial is a one-off seven days.

Paid pricing

• Tête-à-Tête: from £9.99/month
• ScoreMySpeech: £4.99/month or £44.99/year (about £3.75/month)

If budget is the deciding factor and you plan to pay, ScoreMySpeech is the cheaper paid option. If you only need a handful of sessions and a couple of mocks a month, Tête-à-Tête's free plan may be enough.

Platforms and Teacher Tools

Where you can use each app

• Tête-à-Tête: web browser, iOS and Android, on the same account. You can practise on a school computer, a laptop, a phone or a tablet.
• ScoreMySpeech: its website lists iOS and Android apps; we could not find a web version.

For students who revise on a laptop or a school-managed Chromebook, where installing apps may not be possible, browser access is a practical advantage.

Teacher and school features

Tête-à-Tête has teacher tools built in. Teachers create a class, share a six-character join code, set assignments with an optional deadline, and see who has completed each one with their most recent score. Free pilot places for schools are running in autumn 2026: details for teachers.

ScoreMySpeech's website does not list teacher or class features. If that matters for your school, it is worth asking ScoreMySpeech directly.

Verdict: Which Should You Choose?

There is no single right answer. Here is how to decide based on your situation.

Choose ScoreMySpeech if...

• You are sitting Pearson Edexcel IGCSE: of the two, only ScoreMySpeech covers it
• Price is the priority and you plan to pay for regular practice
• You only practise on a phone or tablet

Choose Tête-à-Tête if...

• You are sitting AQA, Edexcel or Cambridge IGCSE
• You want to practise in a web browser on a laptop or school computer, as well as on your phone
• You want a free allowance that renews every 30 days rather than a one-off trial
• Your teacher wants to set assignments and track progress for a class
• You want scores for six skills on the photo card and conversation, and each part marked the way the board marks it in a mock

If you are genuinely unsure

Try both. Neither needs a card to start. Run the same task on both apps and compare how the feedback feels. The one that makes you want to practise again is probably the right one.

For a broader comparison including Marvely, Duolingo and human tutors, see our GCSE speaking practice guide. You can also read task-specific advice for GCSE French speaking and GCSE Spanish speaking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tête-à-Tête or ScoreMySpeech better for GCSE French speaking practice?

It depends on your exam board and how you want to practise. For AQA, Edexcel or Cambridge IGCSE French, both are solid options. Tête-à-Tête works in a browser as well as on phones, has a renewing free allowance and has teacher tools. ScoreMySpeech is cheaper to pay for. If you are sitting Pearson Edexcel IGCSE, ScoreMySpeech is the only one of the two that covers it.

Can I use either app for GCSE Spanish as well as French?

Yes. Both support French and Spanish. Neither covers German.

Do I need to pay to use either app?

No, not to start. Tête-à-Tête gives you seven practice sessions and two mocks every rolling 30 days with no card. ScoreMySpeech offers a seven-day free trial, also with no card.

Will either app's score count as my actual GCSE grade?

No. Both are practice tools. Tête-à-Tête gives estimated marks on your board's mark scheme and a GCSE grade for that mock; ScoreMySpeech gives a practice estimate. Neither is an official mark, and neither replaces the assessment your school submits to the exam board.

Can my teacher see my practice results?

With Tête-à-Tête, yes, if your teacher sets up a class: they share a join code, set assignments and see who has completed them. ScoreMySpeech's website does not list teacher features.

Which app is better for anxious speakers?

Both let you practise with coaching before trying exam conditions. On Tête-à-Tête, keep coaching feedback on while you build confidence, then switch it off to practise in silence like the real exam. On ScoreMySpeech, start in coaching mode and move to exam mode. There is no rule that says you have to pick just one.