Dont stress, three months is plenty of time if you actually stick with it. I've tried basically everything over the years, and honestly, simple is usually better for anxiety.

• Duolingo Super Subscription is great for basics, keeps it super casual.
• ChatGPT Plus Subscription for roleplay, literally just ask it to act like a taxi driver in Mexico. Just start talking to the app, no one is listening anyway. You got this.

Honestly, if you want real speaking progress without the high cost, try Speechling Unlimited Learning Plan. It uses AI to grade your pronunciation against native speakers, which helped me drop my accent quickly. I just pair that with a Logitech H390 USB Headset for clear audio capture. Focus on high-frequency phrases instead of grammar rules, it works wonders for quick trips. Just keep grinding everyday.

Like someone mentioned, apps are fine, but I disagree that they are enough for speaking. I spent months just tapping screens, and when I finally landed in Spain, I completely froze. I had to pivot to actual human interaction. My current setup involves using a local community center for language exchange instead of just software. It was way more nerve-wracking, but honestly, it was the only thing that actually prepared me for real conversations.

Regarding what #3 said about Honestly, if you want real speaking progress without the high cost, try Speechling, I unfortunately had some reliability issues with that platform. The latency was inconsistent and honestly the UI felt dated for 2024 standards. My experience was not as good as expected when trying to calibrate the input levels. Before I can give you a better recommendation, what specific dialect of Spanish are you aiming for? Understanding if you need neutral Latin American or something specific to your destination really changes which data sets perform best. Honestly, just search for AI language benchmarking studies on Google or check some deep-dive reviews on YouTube. There is a great video that breaks down the error rates of various speech recognition engines compared to native pronunciation that is basically the gold standard. Just search for AI language learning accuracy comparisons and it should pop up as one of the first results. It is way more reliable than just taking someone's word for it.