# Speech Assistant AAC — user reviews > 89 indexed App Store user reviews of Speech Assistant AAC by Ton Schalke, rated 4.60/5 from 103 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speech-assistant-aac/id1139762358/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speech-assistant-aac/id1139762358.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 77 · 4★ 14 · 3★ 7 · 2★ 3 · 1★ 2 ## What do users think of Speech Assistant AAC? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 👍 Life-saver for communication - 👍 Highly customizable - 👍 Easy to use - 👍 Affordable price - 👍 Versatile across devices - 👍 Great for ALS patients - 👍 Intuitive design - 👍 Responsive developers - 👍 Good for emergencies - 👍 Improves quality of life **Cons** - 🐛 Inconsistent syncing - 🐛 Issues with transparent backgrounds - 🐛 Unpleasant default voices - 🐛 Costly for some - 🐛 Family sharing problems - 🐛 App crashes/freezes - 🐛 Voice not playing on calls - 🐛 Glitching hex codes - 🐛 Difficulty with specific features - 🐛 Default voices not ideal **Commonly reported bugs** - Default category button cannot be deleted - Images with transparent backgrounds turn white - Color picker does not work - Blank word slot in new subcategories cannot be deleted - Recorded or imported audio on buttons doesn't play on phone calls - Cannot send voice message to WhatsApp - App crashes on iOS 17.5.1 on iPhone XS - Hex codes keep changing after input - Return key to send/speak disabled in latest update - Syncing from iPad to iPhone not happening - Categories don't stay on conversation when switching tabs - App keeps crashing/freezing - Option to not read directly seems to no longer work - Speech button not working - Syncing between iPhone and iPad not working - App crashes when another app uses speaker - Voice output not heard during phone calls **Most requested features** - Ability to move sub-categories - Toggle for reading category names - Sub-sub-categories - Option to choose image files - Color picker for customization - Delete blank word slot in subcategories - Send text to speech to WhatsApp - Shortcut to Control Panel - Ability to reset element sizes - Ability to clone own voice - Drag option for moving positions - Syncing between devices - More symbols for basic words - Control AI devices (Echo, Google) - Child voices for TTS - Option to use only iPhone/iPad speaker easily - Better autocorrect - Fix mispronunciation of words - Ability to print phrases from app - Change font size of settings/documentation - More than 5 choices in 'Clear/Restore' - Ability to create sub-categories - Record/import audio on phone calls - Full screen mode - Option for UK female voice - Draw within the app and convert to text - Customize buttons with color - Add own voice to phrases - Eye control app - Make pictures on text buttons appear in read-out windows - Use own pre-recorded voice - Text can be shown in large print - Add a lock on app configuration - Use own voice for TTS - More advanced audio options - Better integration with other apps - Option to not read directly when disabled - Full functionality access for recording sessions - Return key to send/speak functionality - Sync categories with conversation tabs - Ability to delete default category button - Support for other languages ## Newest reviews (12 of 89) ### 4/5 — solid app :) *2026-06-02* i’ve already written a review before about this app, but there were some features that i thought i would suggest… firstly, there’s an issue where, when you make a category, a button is already made for you and you can’t delete it. it leaves my boards looking messy and it bugs me. secondly, i think the ability to move sub-categories around the same way you can move buttons around would be great. it would be nice to move sub-categories around in the same spots buttons can move if that makes sense. no further comments there. thirdly, a small suggestion that i think would make a great difference for some people; a feature to toggle the ability for the app to read the names of the categories and sub-categories you’re clicking on as you click on tnem the same way buttons read out when you click on them. fourthly, recordded or imported audio on buttons doesn’t play on phone calls! please fix this… and finally, i think there should be sub-sub-categories. a lot of aac apps have so many layers of sub-categories you can do and i think adding more sub-categories options would be great :) thank you for your time! ### 4/5 — solid app :) *2026-05-30* i’ve already written a review before about this app, but there were some features that i thought i would suggest… firstly, there’s an issue where, when you make a category, a button is already made for you and you can’t delete it. it leaves my boards looking messy and it bugs me. secondly, i think the ability to move sub-categories around the same way you can move buttons around would be great. it would be nice to move sub-categories around in the same spots buttons can move if that makes sense. no further comments there. thirdly, a small suggestion that i think would make a great difference for some people; a feature to toggle the ability for the app to read the names of the categories and sub-categories you’re clicking on as you click on tnem the same way buttons read out when you click on them. and finally, i think there should be sub-sub-categories. a lot of aac apps have so many layers of sub-categories you can do and i think adding more sub-categories options would be great :) thank you for your time! ### 4/5 — Problème partagé *2026-02-13* Bonjour Malgré le partage familial opérationnel sur iPad impossible de partager l’application alors qu’il est possible de partager avec six personne ### 4/5 — i like it, BUT… *2025-09-15, version 5.8.1* images with transparent background cannot properly be imported into the app. i suggest maybe an option for you to be able to choose files for images? i don’t know. ### 4/5 — i like it, BUT… *2025-09-02* i honestly love this app but theres a few bugs, specifically with customization. it wont let you pick from a color picker. it gives the option to, but it doesn’t work. it also automatically adds a blank word slot to new subcategories that you can’t delete and can only edit which is annoying. i also encountered an issue with transparent backgrounds. if you import an image with a transparent background, it just turns it white, which is annoying. i would also just like to see a bigger update to this app, you know? something aside from a small patch. **Developer response:** Hi, thank for the review. You should indeed be able to select a color with the colorpicker. Can you please contact me at info@asoft.nl to see how to resolve this? ### 4/5 — One problem *2025-07-09, version 5.8* you cant send the voice message to whatsapp, i have linked my elevenlabs api , there should be button on main menu that let you send the text to speech to WhatsApp chat ### 5/5 — The customization on this is amazing! *2025-04-09* I am occasionally nonverbal due to being autistic; I love that I can customize this as needed, and add lots of words or phrases specific to my line of work. I recommended to a friend of mine; that for a kid we can start with pictures, add words as they grow older, then add more complex sentences even later on. Thank you! I recommend adding a shortcut to the Control Panel, so we can quickly get to it from another app, rather than have to access only from the Home Screen. ### 5/5 — Very useful app!! *2025-03-07* Due to oral cancer treatments, I lost my ability to speak clearly. As a teacher, this has significantly disrupted my ability to speak to students and colleagues one on one. This app has been a huge help with communication professionally. It has also been extremely helpful with my frequent doctor and hospital visits and interpersonal communication in general. In fact, I had a doctor ask for the name of the app as he was impressed with its functionality and versatility. This app has been extremely helpful in many aspects of my life! My thumbs have gotten so fast with typing that I rival my three teenage daughter’s texting abilities! 😜. Although still slower than normal speaking conversation, it is faster and less cumbersome than writing messages out by hand. Thanks for developing this great app! ### 5/5 — Perfect *2024-12-12, version 5.7* This wonderful tool has provided me, someone who doesn’t have a voice, with a way to easily communicate with others. It’s perfect for my needs. Highly recommended. ### 4/5 — Wonderful service! *2024-12-08* The only issue I have is that when switching tabs for different conversations, the categories don’t stay on the conversation. If you change the tab from one and start a new conversation using a different category, then switch back to the other conversation, the categories are still on the previous conversation. So you have to keep changing them. It would be great to have the categories change with the conversations tabs. **Developer response:** Hello Kim, thanks for your feedback! It is indeed a good idea and this is changed in the latest update of app. ### 5/5 — Best AAC app of them all (but use with ElevenLabs voice)! *2024-10-29* I tried every free AAC app and most of the paid ones and this is heads and shoulders the best one I’ve used. Forget using a Voice Keeper voice though, so buggy I gave up. The good news is Eleven Labs AI voice clones sound much better and work perfectly with this wonderful app. If you need AAC on iOS this is the best $25 you can possibly spend. Great dev support as well! Thank you Ton! ### 5/5 — Excellent app *2024-09-24* What an excellent app. I’ve been using it since 2021 and it’s really helped me communicate in person, and online while also have the ability to easily connect to my phone, opening up my world. I can easily customize my in person conversations for most every situation. I use it on my phone and pad and can sync them so I’m always on the same page in my communication. The manual is easy to follow and best yet is the developers help line. I’ve had a few issues, mostly my fault, and they’ve resolved them quickly and to all our satisfaction, they’re constantly working to improve the app. Thanks you for this… ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — ABSOLUTE TRASH!! 👎 *2026-06-28* I downloaded Speech Assistant AAC for my sister, who was intubated in the hospital and completely unable to speak. She needed a reliable, simple way to communicate with nurses and doctors during one of the most terrifying and vulnerable times of her life. Instead, she got a cruel joke of an application that actively made her suffering worse. The entire interface is a masterclass in incompetence. Every single menu is a confusing, poorly organized mess. Nothing is intuitive. Nothing is labeled clearly. The text is so tiny that even someone with perfect vision would struggle, let alone a patient who is already exhausted, medicated, and fighting for every breath. Trying to navigate this app requires fine motor control and mental clarity that a critically ill person simply does not have. The result? My sister became visibly more stressed and agitated every time she tried to use it. What should have been a tool for empowerment became another source of frustration and helplessness. She eventually became so enraged and defeated by the app’s failures that she threw the iPad across the room. In a hospital setting, that is not just bad design — that is actively dangerous and irresponsible. This is not a communication aid. It is a poorly disguised scam that preys on desperate families looking for any solution during medical emergencies. The developers clearly never tested this with real patients in real medical situations. They have no understanding of accessibility, no respect for users in crisis, and apparently no shame. Anyone considering this app for a loved one who cannot speak should immediately look elsewhere. There are actual, well-designed AAC solutions created by people who understand the stakes. This app is not one of them. It is absolute trash and should be removed from the App Store. **Developer response:** I am sorry to hear about your experience. Using the app—or any app—for the first time during a stressful crisis situation can indeed be difficult. The settings are organized into five clearly separated sections: General, Layout & Colors, Categories & Phrases, Speech & Sound, and Backup, to help to find the available options. The app is highly customizable; in the Layout section, button and text sizes can be adjusted to be smaller or significantly larger as needed. If you have any questions or problems with the app, you can contact speechassistant@asoft.nl ### 1/5 — Produit *2026-04-15* Bon mais très dispendieux et puis sur d’autres appareils qu’appel l’application est gratuite ### 1/5 — Horrible voices *2025-11-14, version 5.8.2* The voices in the app are jarring and not high quality at all. ### 1/5 — Hmm *2025-06-14* I can’t seem to make it work on family sharing ### 1/5 — Can’t use own voice *2024-10-03* We’re almost in 2025, and there’s no AI that can clone own voice yet? This app should be the first to allow that **Developer response:** Hello, if you have created an ElevenLabs AI Voice clone you can setup the voice to be used in the app in the speech setting of the app. ### 2/5 — Voce *2025-06-03, version 5.7.8* Non si può cambiare la voce predefinita di donna. Le indicazioni per la modifica non corrispondono alle voci presenti nel menu. ### 2/5 — Syncing between iPad and iPhone *2025-03-21, version 5.7.5* It takes time to learn how to use the app. However, syncing from iPad to iPhone isn’t happening. I created a personal tab with phrases in an orderly fashion but when I sync the tab doesn’t show up. ### 2/5 — AppKeeps crashing *2024-09-19, version 5.6.1* I use it all day and at least every 8 uses it freezes! ### 3/5 — Drag option for moving the position *2025-03-05, version 5.7.4* It will be helpful if I can move the position of phrases or categories by dragging the button. ### 3/5 — Alphabet *2024-07-05, version 5.5.4* We are not space related box small box what is large box. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — A game changer *2026-08-12* I praise this app and the developer who made but this one surpasses them. I have a rare disease called Kearns Sayre Syndrome. My speech is really complicated and compromosed more now verbally. I used this app for everyday living from chatting with family and friends to Doctors appointments. Make sure you buy the whole version and upgrade to pro to unlock all its features it has to offer. ### 5/5 — Amazing *2026-03-21, version 5.8.5* Incredible app that honestly is worth hundreds and for 25 bucks they gave us and my son a amazing tool. It works so well on the Apple Watch ### 5/5 — Real game changer *2025-12-12* I praise this app and the developer who made but this one surpasses them. I have a rare disease called Kearns Sayre Syndrome. My speech is really complicated and compressed more now verbally. I used this app for everyday living. Make sure you buy the whole version and upgrade to pro to unlock all its features it has to offer. ### 5/5 — A++++++++++++ *2025-10-20, version 5.8.2* Literally a lifesaver for someone with ALS. Can now communicate with medics, doctors, nurses, family and strangers during emergencies. App is easy to use. Offers options for customization. Highly recommend! ### 5/5 — Wonderful app *2025-09-05, version 5.8* Wow! Super helpful!!! ### 5/5 — Lifesaver *2025-08-03, version 5.8* Having lost my ability to speak, this app has saved my personal and professional lives!! I couldn’t be more grateful!! Highly recommend!! ### 5/5 — The app I recommend the most often! *2025-06-24* I am so grateful for and delighted by Speech Assistant! I have been using it for years, and it is reliable, never seems to break, and gets better and better over time. The developers are responsive, and do a fantastic job of listening to the aac-using community and adding desired features. While I am a regular aac-user, this week my spouse had laryngitis. She already had this app on her phone because I had set it up, and so she was ready to go, and able to continue on with all her communication needs without interruption. Everyone should have this app on their phone, for those times when vocalizing is not a good option. ### 5/5 — Life Saver *2025-06-04, version 5.7.8* I have tried so many apps since losing my voice, but this app has allowed me to have my words heard over the phone, in meetings, and even in zoom calls. I love it💗 ### 5/5 — This is my favorite aac app *2025-05-21* I love this aac app so much. I have been using it for almost 3 years now. I’ve been customizing it that entire time as well. The only thing I wish was that I could upload png to the buttons for the icons. They always come out with a white or black background ### 5/5 — Buon *2025-04-13, version 5.7.5* Ottimo --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-08.*