Comparison

TD Talk vs Symbol Overlay Maker

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

TD Talk

This app enables communication for individuals unable to use their voice or hands. It offers text-to-speech functionality through eye-tracking or touch input, supporting a wide range of languages and voices for natural conversation.

Highlights
  • Eye-tracking communication
  • Touch input for typing
  • Customized predictive sentence construction
  • In-sentence editing
  • 35+ languages and voices
  • Face-to-face conversation mode
  • QuickMessages for common phrases
Features
Read full description

TD Talk is a text to speech app that empowers people to talk using just their eyes or fingers. It’s designed for literate adults who cannot use their voice, their hands or both, including people with disabilities such as ALS/MND, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy and locked-in syndrome. When used with TD Pilot, an iPad-based, eye tracking-enabled speech generating device by Tobii Dynavox, it unlocks the ability to: • talk using just your eyes via the world’s leading eye tracking technology • talk using just your fingers, by typing the words you want to speak • join any conversation with fast, customized, predictive sentence construction • correct typos with in-sentence editing using just your eyes • express yourself in 35+ languages and voices • have face-to-face conversations via the Partner Window on a TD Pilot device Join the conversation TD Talk empowers people to communicate who they are and what they want to say, in the most fluid way possible: Converse naturally • participate naturally in dialogue by displaying your typed text to your conversation partner in the rear-facing Partner Window on a TD Pilot device • select your language of choice and switch to it seamlessly Express yourself quickly • remain an active part of any conversation with the ability to use predicted text and to edit errors directly within a sentence • maintain a more natural speaking pace with QuickMessages, pre-programmed common and custom phrases such as ‘I need help’ and ‘wait please, I’m typing’ Sound like yourself • express yourself more fluidly thanks to phrase prediction, which learns and adapts to your personal communication style • choose from a selection of voices to find one you most identify with • Import a custom synthetic voice that mimics your natural one with voice banking from one of the following vendors: Acapela (my-own-voice), Model Talker, The Voice Keeper, ElevenLabs Using TD Talk without TD Pilot Some people may want to try TD Talk on an iPad without using TD Pilot, such as: • those with progressive degenerative conditions transitioning from touch to eye gaze access • clinicians who want to try TD Talk on behalf of their clients • hospitals and other institutions PLEASE NOTE, using TD Talk on an iPad without the TD Pilot device will mean: • touch access only (no eye tracking access) • a smaller selection of languages and voices For more information Visit: us.tobiidynavox.com/products/td-talk Customer support: us.tobiidynavox.com/pages/contact-us

About

Symbol Overlay Maker

Easily create printable symbol overlays for communication devices and switches. Supports core words, classroom activities, and home communication with a large symbol library.

Highlights
  • Create printable symbol overlays
  • Supports speech devices and switches
  • Includes SymbolStix symbol set
  • Supports core words and activities
  • Printable for home and classroom use
Features
Read full description

The AbleNet Symbol Overlay app supports best outcomes by providing an easy way for therapists, teachers, and parents to quickly create printable symbol overlays for AbleNet speech devices and accessibility switches. Individuals benefit from the added context and support a symbol overlay provides. The AbleNet Symbol Overlay Maker app now includes the best-in-class SymbolStix symbol set with thousands of high-quality symbols. Create and print symbol overlays to support core words, activities in the classroom, and communication at home.

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: TD Talk at 4.2 against Symbol Overlay Maker's 2.3. TD Talk also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months). Symbol Overlay Maker's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.2). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TD Talk holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 4 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TD Talk ships an update every 2 months, Symbol Overlay Maker every 6 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
TD Talk versus Symbol Overlay Maker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTD TalkSymbol Overlay Maker
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (11 ratings) — better2.3 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings11 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPadiPad
Requires iOS17.213.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size305 MB142 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTobii Dynavox LLCAbleNet

Customer experience

TD Talk

All ratings10 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative10.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

Symbol Overlay Maker

All ratings2 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

TD Talk

No in-app purchases

None

Symbol Overlay Maker

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TD Talk free?
TD Talk is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Symbol Overlay Maker free?
Symbol Overlay Maker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, TD Talk or Symbol Overlay Maker?
TD Talk is rated higher. TD Talk averages 4.2 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Symbol Overlay Maker averages 2.3 from 4 ratings.
Do TD Talk or Symbol Overlay Maker have ads?
Neither TD Talk nor Symbol Overlay Maker shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TD Talk or Symbol Overlay Maker?
TD Talk ships an update every 2 months, and Symbol Overlay Maker every 6 months. Most recently, TD Talk was updated on October 24, 2026 and Symbol Overlay Maker on October 24, 2026.

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