TD Snap® vs Shape Coding Lite
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TD Snap®
This communication software assists individuals with speech and language disabilities by offering symbol-supported and text-based communication options. It features customizable page sets and editing tools, accessible via touch, eye gaze, and switch access. A subscription is required after a trial period.
- Symbol-supported and text-based page sets
- Customizable editing tools
- Touch, eye gaze, and switch access
- Picture Communication Symbols library
- Visual schedules and timers
- Cloud-based content syncing
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TD Snap® is a flexible, robust communication software for people with speech and language disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy and aphasia. Created by Tobii Dynavox, a leader in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), TD Snap provides a choice of evidence-based, professionally developed page sets designed to meet different communication needs and preferences, with both symbol-supported and text-based options. TD Snap includes easy-to-use editing tools to create a personalized experience, and is accessible via touch, eye gaze and switch access methods. A monthly subscription is required to enable speech following a 1-month trial period. Tobii Dynavox offers complementary resources to help communicators, caregivers, and professionals succeed with TD Snap. These resources can be found by visiting myTobiiDynavox.com or tobiidynavox.com. Have you purchased a Tobii Dynavox device and looking to use your companion TD Snap license on an iOS device? Download this app and log into myTobiiDynavox in the start-up wizard. Customizable TD Snap Page Sets: • Core First: A symbol-supported page set enabling a path to literacy at any stage of language development, now also available in High contrast • Motor Plan: A symbol-supported page set enabling efficient language acquisition at any age, custom designed for both touch and eye gaze • Express: A symbol-supported page set to help people express themselves using theme-based phrases and words, now also available in bilingual Spanish/English • Text: A page set for those who are literate or transitioning from symbol supports to literacy • Scanning: A page set for those who use scanning as their primary access method, • Aphasia: A page set to help adults with aphasia communicate while also supporting language recovery , now also available in bilingual Spanish/English • PODD*: A page set based on the Pragmatic Organization Dynamic Display vocabulary strategy, developed by AAC expert Gayle Porter • Gateway*: A page set based on the Gateway vocabulary strategy, developed by Joan Bruno *Denotes in-app purchase of an additional monthly subscription per page or symbol set. Developed by a third party. Powerful Set of Integrated TD Snap Tools: • Editing: An intuitive editing tool to help customize buttons to meet a communicator’s unique needs • Diversity: A variety of diversity settings that let you customize skin tone, hair shades, and more • PCS: A built-in library of over 75,000 Picture Communication Symbols translated into over 25 languages • Search: A search bar to locate words and symbols with an easy and accessible path to find them • Visual Supports: A set of supports like visual schedules, timers, and scripts • Google Assistant: An integrated tool enabling symbol-supported access to Google Assistant • QuickFires: A set of commonly used pre-programmed phrases to make communication smoother • myTobiiDynavox: A cloud-based resource for backing up, sharing, and syncing customized content. How Subscriptions Work Following the 1-month free trial, your Apple ID payment method on file will automatically be charged monthly unless you cancel 24 hours before the trial ends. Subsequent monthly payments will be charged to your Apple ID payment method 24 hours before the end of each period. Your subscriptions are managed in account settings on the App Store. TD Snap® is a trademark and registered trademark of Tobii Dynavox AB. Tobii Dynavox cannot guarantee compatibility of TD Snap with any non-Tobii Dynavox brand of hardware and will not offer technical support for compatibility issues. All downloads are governed by TD Snap License Agreement for Download.
Shape Coding Lite
This app uses a visual coding system to help children and young people with language disorders improve sentence structure and grammar. It employs colors, arrows, lines, and shapes to represent word classes, tense, and sentence structure, aiding in understanding and producing English sentences.
- Visual coding system for grammar
- Color-coded word classes
- Arrow indicators for tense
- Line indicators for plurality
- Shape indicators for syntax
- Text-to-speech functionality
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SHAPE CODING® Lite is a free demonstration version of the full SHAPE CODING® app. This is designed for teachers and speech and language therapists / pathologists to use with children and young people who are having difficulties producing and understanding English sentence structure and grammar. As with the full SHAPE CODING® app, it uses the SHAPE CODING® system which has been shown in several research projects to help children and young people with language disorders increase the length and complexity of sentences they can understand and use and improve the accuracy of their sentence production. The SHAPE CODING® Lite app has less functionality and flexibility than the full SHAPE CODING® app but can be used to form simple sentences. The SHAPE CODING® system uses a visual coding system to show the rules for how words are put together in sentences, to develop the child’s understanding of spoken and written grammar and to develop their ability to use grammar successfully to express themselves. The system includes use of colours (word classes), arrows (tense and aspect) , lines (singular and plural) and shapes (syntactic structure). These are all included in the app (although not all are enabled in the Lite version), but the professional controlling the app can choose which features display for the student, so that it is personalised to their current levels and targets. Settings are preserved for the student between uses. The Lite app allows only a single teacher and student, but the full version can have multiple teachers and students. The SHAPE CODING® Lite app is equipped with a basic set of words which can be inserted into those shapes which are enabled to make simple sentences. A much wider range of shape options are enabled in the full version than the Lite version, so more grammatical rules can be taught and more complex sentences created. The app uses text-to-speech, so that students who struggle to read can also use the app. This app assumes a certain degree of familiarity with the SHAPE CODING system. For more information see www.shapecoding.com. Training on how to use the SHAPE CODING(R) system is available from https://training.moorhouseinstitute.co.uk/. For a demonstration of the features of the full version of the app (some of which are also enabled in the Lite version), see: https://shapecoding.com/demo-videos/, and for Frequently Asked Questions see: https://shapecoding.com/app-info/faqs/ Follow us on Twitter @ShapeCoding, Facebook @ShapeCoding and Instagram @shape_coding or if you have any problems or feedback, please contact us at training@moorhouseschool.co.uk Please review our privacy policy https://shapecoding.com/privacy-policy-apple/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: TD Snap® at 4.1 against Shape Coding Lite's 2.0. TD Snap® also leads on review sentiment (31% vs 0%) and ratings volume (873 vs 1). Shape Coding Lite's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads and iOS requirement 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. TD Snap® sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Shape Coding Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.
TD Snap® holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TD Snap® has 873 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 31% of TD Snap®'s written reviews are positive against 0% of Shape Coding Lite's.
TD Snap® ships an update every 2 months, Shape Coding Lite every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | TD Snap® | Shape Coding Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (873 ratings) — better | 2.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 30.7% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 873 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 7 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Subscription | Free — better |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3.4 GB | 357 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tobii Dynavox LLC | Moor House School & College |
Customer experience
TD Snap®
Shape Coding Lite
Bugs and requests
TD Snap®
Reported bugs
4 issues- Voice disappearing after updates
- Crashes on launch
- Incompatibility with iPad Pro
- Inability to restore purchased content
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to change undo symbol
- Link to ACCIL image database
- Ability to set user age for appropriate vocabulary
- More robust core vocabulary
- Easier grammar modeling
Shape Coding Lite
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
TD Snap®
- Gateway Monthly1 Month trial$4.991 Month
- PODD Monthly1 Month trial$4.991 Month
- Metacom Monthly1 Month trial$4.991 Month
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- Speaking Upgrade Monthly1 Month trial$9.991 Month
- Acapela Voices$39.99
- Nuance Voices$39.99
- Speaking Upgrade$49.99
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- METACOM Symbols$49.99
- PODD Page Sets$149.99
- Gateway Page Sets$149.99
Shape Coding Lite
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is TD Snap® free?
Is Shape Coding Lite free?
Which has better reviews, TD Snap® or Shape Coding Lite?
Do TD Snap® or Shape Coding Lite have ads?
Which is updated more often, TD Snap® or Shape Coding Lite?
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