Avaz FreeSpeech vs simPODD
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Avaz FreeSpeech
This app helps individuals with language impairments practice and develop English grammar skills. Users rearrange picture tiles to form grammatically correct sentences, visually exploring sentence structure and word properties. It's designed for learners of all levels, including those with special needs or learning English as a second language.
- Build sentences with picture tiles
- Visual grammar exploration
- Supports tenses and sentence forms
- Customizable prediction levels
- Over 2,000 Symbolstix symbols
- Errorless modeling for grammar
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FreeSpeech helps anyone with a language impairment practice and develop grammar skills! Drag and rearrange picture tiles, and FreeSpeech will convert them into a perfectly grammatical English sentence. Explore how tenses, sentence forms, parts of speech, and other grammatical properties change the structure of English -- and it's all visual! FreeSpeech is the perfect app for anyone who is learning the English language - whether you are - A person with special needs, such as autism, dyslexia and hearing impairments - An ELL student, trying to make sense of English grammar - Someone who loves languages and likes to explore them! Developed by an interdisciplinary team including SLPs, educators, and researchers with over 100 years of collective experience, FreeSpeech is the most advanced language learning technology currently on the App Store. The technology behind FreeSpeech was the subject of a TED talk by its creator Ajit Narayanan which has been viewed more than one million times. The development of FreeSpeech, combining engineering with generative linguistics, earned the team recognition as one of the world's Top 35 Innovators from MIT Technology Review. AS SEEN ON TED BY 1M+ VIEWERS: http://go.ted.com/CW6u "A powerful new app designed to help children of all learning levels and language abilities develop grammatically correct sentences... A welcome addition for anyone with young writers that struggle with arranging sentences or who have a language impairment that makes it frustrating to communicate." - SmartAppsForKids FreeSpeech is unique because it's the only app in the world that predicts grammar. You can throw a bunch of picture tiles at it, and the app will automatically figure out a grammatically correct sentence from them. - It's possible to manipulate words, tenses and structure as if you were manipulating building blocks. - The app lets teachers and learners model/recast/contrast various grammar rules pictorially, all the while speaking out correct English. - A teacher or therapist can configure how much prediction FreeSpeech does, and fade away its capabilities as a student develops confidence. FreeSpeech is based on solid research, and builds language by: - EXPANDING: Prompting users with questions to expand their sentences; - SCAFFOLDING: Intelligently predicting words that they are likely to use; - CONTRASTING: Visually modeling tense and sentence modifiers; - RECASTING: Automatically inserting prepositions and articles as needed; and - ERRORLESS MODELING: Automatically predicting grammar, to assemble a map of pictures into a grammatically correct English sentence. Scientific trials validating the efficacy of FreeSpeech have been presented at leading conferences in linguistics and special education. FreeSpeech features more than 2,000 symbols from Symbolstix, and is ideally suited to use alongside other AAC, articulation and education apps that use these lovely symbols. Additionally, you can customize the vocabulary with 20,000+ Symbolstix symbols. Download FreeSpeech & learn English language skills today! Please email us at support@freespeechapp.com with any comments, questions or suggestions about FreeSpeech. *Pricing plan - Auto Renewable Subscription* 1 month auto renewing - 9.99 USD 6 months auto renewing - 59.99 USD 1 year auto renewing - 99.99 USD Link to privacy policy - www.avazapp.com/privacy Link to Terms of use - www.avazapp.com/terms-of-use/ -Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase -Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period -Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period -You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Account Settings after purchase -Any unused portion of the free trial period will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription Symbols used in this app are © 2016 SymbolStix LLC.
simPODD
This app simplifies augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for individuals who cannot speak. It integrates digital PODD page sets with a printing interface, offering streamlined editing and access to various vocabulary options. Designed in collaboration with the PODD system's creator, it aims to make communication more accessible and efficient.
- Digital PODD page sets
- Integrated printing interface
- Streamlined editing
- SymbolStix integration
- Multiple text-to-speech voices
- Regionally specific vocabulary
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simPODD is an app for the popular PODD system that makes communication more simple for those who can’t speak. Built in collaboration with Gayle Porter, it’s the only PODD app for iPad to bring digital page sets and a printing interface into one app. From the makers of Proloquo2Go, this augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) app is sure to become a favorite among PODD users, because it's the only PODD app built specifically for their needs. “simPODD’s integration of PODD communication books and electronic page sets in a single product supports people to "say what I want to say, to whoever, whenever and however I choose to say it.” - Gayle Porter, creator of the PODD system Highlights • Access to all PODD digital page sets: 15 Preschool, 15+ Preschool, 15 School, 15+ School, 60 Complex Syntax, 60 Expanded Key Word • Fully integrated printing interface in the app to print direct access individual and group PODD books (with yearly subscription) • Streamlined and simplified editing process • Uses SymbolStix • Regionally specific vocabulary and American, British and Australian voices • 38 natural-sounding text-to-speech voices including genuine children’s voices • Free 1-month trial How it works simPODD makes using PODD much simpler. First, it brings the digital page sets and printing experience into one app. No need to manage different payments and subscriptions, or learn how to use multiple programs. It’s all rolled into one. It’s easy to use, no matter who you are: parent, teacher, speech therapist or PODD user. Customizing and editing digital page sets is also very straightforward with simPODD. Quickly edit the vocabulary, create new buttons and link folders without following a lot of complicated steps. Since we worked closely with PODD users while building the app, we took all of the hassle and frustration out of these processes. The easiest PODD book printing experience The printing function for PODD books is right inside the app. Just select a book and customize. Print the book all at once, instead of page by page. It only takes a few minutes! You can create as many books as you need, and print them for all of the people in a PODD communicator’s life. What is PODD? PODD (Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic Display) is a popular AAC system created and owned by Gayle Porter. PODD organizes vocabulary around communication function and predicted likely usage to make it more efficient to get something across. PODD's range of books and page sets support language development from first words to complex syntax. The books and page sets for early communicators also include strategies like pragmatic branch starters. This supports more intelligible and varied communication. Comprehensive support We’re there for you every step of the way. Help articles on the website are there to guide you through set up. New to AAC? Our website has background resources in the Learn AAC section. You can also connect directly with our community on our Facebook groups. Questions? Our support team is available 7 days a week. Choose the subscription that’s right for you: Yearly Digital + Print or Monthly Digital. Yearly Digital + Print • Print direct access PODD books right from the app • Full access to all of the digital page sets • Regular updates • Save money - 2 months free compared to the monthly subscription Monthly Digital • Full access to all of the digital page sets • Regular updates • Cancel month to month, so you only pay for what you use • An inexpensive way to try PODD Try the app out with our 1-month free trial! How payment works • Payments will be charged to your Apple ID (after your free trial ends) • Subscriptions renew automatically. Payment is charged 24 hours before the current subscription period ends • Don’t want to renew? Cancel more than 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period • Want to cancel or change your subscription? Manage it in your account settings on the App Store
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: simPODD at 4.5 against Avaz FreeSpeech's 3.5. simPODD also leads on review sentiment (78% vs 64%). Avaz FreeSpeech's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Avaz FreeSpeech sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and simPODD sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $13.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
simPODD holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 21 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Avaz FreeSpeech's written reviews are positive against 78% of simPODD's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Avaz FreeSpeech | simPODD |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (12 ratings) | 4.5 (21 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 64.0% of reviews | 77.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 12 | 21 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 452 MB | 539 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Prathiba Swaminathan | AssistiveWare |
Customer experience
Avaz FreeSpeech
simPODD
In-app purchases
Avaz FreeSpeech
- Premium Access: Pics & Voices$4.991 Month
- Premium Access: Pics & Voices$39.991 Year
- Premium Access: Pics & Voices$59.996 Months
simPODD
- Monthly Digital1 Month trial$13.991 Month
- Yearly Digital + Print$139.991 Year
- Yearly Digital + Print*1 Month trial$139.991 Year
- One Year Digital$139.99
Questions
Is Avaz FreeSpeech free?
Is simPODD free?
Which has better reviews, Avaz FreeSpeech or simPODD?
Do Avaz FreeSpeech or simPODD have ads?
Which is updated more often, Avaz FreeSpeech or simPODD?
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