# Communication Buttons Expanded vs Articulation Station Hive

The clearest difference is price: Articulation Station Hive at Free against Communication Buttons Expanded's $6.99. Articulation Station Hive also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 27 months). Communication Buttons Expanded's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.0). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Articulation Station Hive is free to download; Communication Buttons Expanded costs $6.99 up front. Articulation Station Hive sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Communication Buttons Expanded asks for nothing beyond the download.

Communication Buttons Expanded ships an update every 27 months, Articulation Station Hive monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Communication Buttons Expanded | Articulation Station Hive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $6.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[4.5 (633 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/articulation-station-hive/id1485607474/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **633** |
| Positive reviews | — | 63.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 27 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 23 MB | 638 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Preferred Mobile Applications, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/779885959) | [Little Bee Speech](https://appshunter.io/developer/467415885) |

## What reviewers say

### Communication Buttons Expanded

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/communication-buttons-expanded/id1131610796)

**In-app purchases:** none


### Articulation Station Hive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/articulation-station-hive/id1485607474)

This app provides a comprehensive suite of tools and activities designed to improve speech clarity for learners of all ages. It offers a wide range of exercises targeting consonants and vowels from isolation to conversation levels, with features for tracking progress and sharing results.

**Highlights:** 17 targeted speech activities, Isolation, syllable, word, phrase, sentence, story, and conversation levels, Visual and auditory cues, Minimal pairs and phonological process practice, Custom word and image support, Progress tracking and recording, Group session support (Pro tier)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hive Parent (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Hive Pro (Monthly) | $14.99 | per month |
| Hive Parent (Yearly) | $83.99 | per year |
| Hive Pro (Yearly) | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Comprehensive articulation app
- 🚀 Efficient and easy to use
- 💡 Great variety of activities
- 👍 Engaging for students
- 👍 Helpful for SLPs and parents

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Occasional app crashes or bugs
- 🔒 Difficulty transferring previous purchases
- 💰 Unaffordable for some SLPs and parents

**Reported bugs**

- Login/sign-up issues
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
- Data loss or inability to access previous sessions

**Requested features**

- Add more words and vocabulary
- Include British accent options
- Allow one-time purchase option
- Improve navigation and flow
- Add more games and interactive activities


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Communication Buttons Expanded free?

Communication Buttons Expanded costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Articulation Station Hive free?

Articulation Station Hive is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Communication Buttons Expanded or Articulation Station Hive have ads?

Neither Communication Buttons Expanded nor Articulation Station Hive shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Communication Buttons Expanded or Articulation Station Hive?

Communication Buttons Expanded ships an update every 27 months, and Articulation Station Hive monthly. Most recently, Communication Buttons Expanded was updated on October 12, 2026 and Articulation Station Hive on October 26, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*