Apps That Can Help You Talk

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, roughly 17.9 million adults have reported a problem with their voice in the last 12 months. Additionally, nearly 1 in 12 children aged 3-17 has had a disorder related to voice, speech, language, or swallowing. This is a huge number of people! Luckily, there are many apps available to help if you're having difficulty speaking. Advances in technology over the past decade have made modern speech apps natural-sounding and easy to use. Check out some of our favorites below!

Our Suggested "Talker" Apps

Spoken - Tap to Talk AAC

Spoken AAC app, shown on a smartphone and tablet.

Availability: Android, iOS, and Mac
Price: Free (with optional premium upgrade for $12.99/month, $99.99/year, or $249.99 for life)

Spoken is one of the best apps for adults experiencing difficulties with speech, no matter the reason. Whether you have a temporary condition or you've been diagnosed with something more serious, Spoken can help you get back into the conversation.

Unlike similar apps, Spoken does not limit your vocabulary to preset terms but instead adapts to the way you like to talk and provides word suggestions informed by that, making it a very flexibile tool. You can also type, draw, or handwrite to enter text and the app will convert it to verbal speech automatically. The simple yet refined design of the app makes expressing yourself quick and easy.

Spoken is a free app with an optional premium upgrade. There is no barrier to trying all of the features. The trial period doesn't require any payment information and begins automatically.

Leeloo AAC

Leeloo AAC for tablet, advertised as an AAC app for kids with autism.

Availability: Android and iOS
Price: Free (with optional premium upgrade for $6.99/month, $59.99/year, or $99.99 for life)

Leeloo is an excellent choice for children who have trouble speaking. Its fun illustrations and relevant vocabulary make it particularly suited for them. It's also really simple to use thanks to its approachable, clean, and distraction-free design. We really like that Leeloo offers several languages to select from and allows you to create multiple different user profiles.

We would not suggest Leeloo for adult users due to its limited vocabulary, but it's a great starter option for young children. Its appealing design and simplicity make it perfect in that regard. The app was removed from Google Play for an unknown reason, but Android users can still get the app by downloading the APK on the developer's official website.

Other Great Choices

Spoken - Tap to Talk AAC and Leeloo AAC are our top suggestions for apps that can help you speak, but there are plenty of other apps available if you want to try something different.

Proloquo2Go

Availability: iOS only
Price: $249.99 with additional in-app purchases

One of the most well-known apps of its type, Proloquo2Go is designed for individuals with communication challenges caused by autism, cerebral palsy, and down syndrome. It features a customizable, symbol-based communication system. We like that you can adjust the layout and vocabulary to suit users of different ages and skill levels. Another plus is that the app is available in many different languages and even supports bilingual use.

TouchChat HD

Availability: iOS only
Price: $149.99 with additional in-app purchases

TouchChat is a sleek app. It lets you choose a vocabulary file that consists of pages and buttons with words, phrases, sentences, and other functions. The vocabulary files let you personalize your grid layout, buttons, messages, and symbols. Users have access to over 40,000 symbols when creating new buttons. Or, you can take a photo with the built-in camera and add that image to a button. One of our favorite features is that you can import and export your vocabulary files easily through AirDrop, email, DropBox, or Google Drive.

Speak For Yourself

Availability: iOS only
Price: $299.99 with additional in-app purchases

Speak For Yourself was designed by two speech-language pathologists. The app claims to be designed “with an evidence-based foundation.” This app is particularly good for younger users as it incorporates motor learning principles and contains features important in developing automaticity and language. However, the app can grow with you and offer more words as your vocabulary and skill level increase. We like that every word can be accessed with a maximum of two taps, allowing you to quickly and easily construct full sentences.

CoughDrop AAC

Availability: iOS, Android, and Windows
Price: Free (with optional premium upgrade for $9/month or $295 for life)

CoughDrop is a cloud-based communication tool that works across devices, allowing you to access your communication boards from anywhere. This app is particularly suited for therapists, caregivers, parents, or anyone else that might want to edit boards or track the user's progress. Like other apps on this list, the appearance and size are easily customizable. Uniquely, though, CoughDrop can also run in your web browser.

Are there any apps that can help me speak?

There are plenty of great apps available for people who can't talk. You don’t have to be limited to poorly designed and robotic-sounding programs of days past. Check out one of the apps above on your phone or tablet and see if it can help you get back into the conversation!