Hi!đ
đ¸ď¸There are other language exchange apps e.g. HelloTalk, Lingbe, Tandem where you can talk to native speakers from all around the world and practise your e.g. English through a natural conversation.
đ¸ď¸But the main problem with them is that many people there don't want to improve their foreign language skills actually or learn something new about a foreign language they study.
đ¸ď¸They mainly want to find ''friends'' from around the world (they talk to a person once or twice and then find another one since the more ''friends'' the better), to kill time by chatting with strangers, to find a girlfriend or a boyfriend, to learn about other cultures at best etc.
đ¸ď¸So most people there don't take foreign language learning process seriously because their goals differ. Some of them even use translators to write to foreigners because they don't know foreign languages đ So such apps are usually just the waste of time.
đ¸ď¸I think it is great that italki is not like those apps. It is more oriented to foreign language learning. Professional teachers from around the world offer their lessons for a fee and answer your questions about grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation etc. or check your posts in the exercises section for free. Native speakers are also ready to help.