DocsPlus Universal vs Scene & Heard Pro
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
DocsPlus Universal
Read full descriptionHide full description
FOR STUDENTS AGED 11-ADULT DocsPlus is a specially designed word processor with an adult look and feel, yet provides extensive writing support through high quality speech, powerful word prediction and our acclaimed Wordbars. REVIEW WRITING WITH CLEAR SPEECH As students write, their work is read back to them as each sentence is completed. Research shows this active engagement with text encourages students to find and correct errors for themselves. DEVELOP VOCABULARY AND SPELLING WITH WORD PREDICTION The intelligent predictor suggests words that fit the context of students’ writing. It’s easily customized to the right reading level, helping students to use good vocabulary and create flowing text with accurate spelling. BUILD WRITING CONFIDENCE WITH WORDBARS The unique Wordbars provide tabbed vocabulary support for any subject or topic – just click a word to add it to the document. Make your own Wordbars in a flash to support any topic, or get free, ready-made ones from our LearningGrids site within the app which covers a range of curriculum topics. CHECK WORDS BEFORE THEY ARE USED Learners can listen to words before they write them, helping them to find the word they want and achieve writing success. Any word in the predictor, spell checker or Wordbar can be heard before it is used so students can be sure of their selection. ADD VOICE NOTES Voice Notes are a simple yet highly effective way for students to add their own prompts so they don’t forget their train of thought – add them to the document at any time. ORGANIZE IDEAS WITH WORKSPACE Organizing ideas is a vital first step in the writing process, and one that many learners struggle with. WorkSpace is a user-friendly mind mapping area that makes it easy to capture and organize thoughts using words, Voice Notes, and pictures. It takes seconds to create a WorkSpace, and you’ll find hundreds of free, ready-made ones on all kinds of curriculum topics on LearningGrids, available directly from the app. ACCESS CURICULUM CONTENT The integrated Document Reader reads aloud any PDF or Word document, providing equal access to worksheets, exam papers and more. Worksheets sit alongside the document being written for easy access. SIT EXAMS INDEPENDENTLY Students who qualify for additional access arrangements in exams can use DocsPlus instead of a human scribe or reader – it’s better for self-esteem and saves time and money. Students can even enter answers directly onto the exam paper if it’s provided as an editable PDF. USE IT YOUR WAY Choose between male and female American English voices (British and Australian voices also provided), and customize font and colors to suit the individual. Work with documents from your iPad, iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive. MS Word and PDF formats are supported, and DocsPlus works anywhere, whether or not you have an Internet connection. PART OF CRICK SOFTWARE’S FAMILY Based in the UK and US, Crick Software has a worldwide reputation for quality educational software for students of all abilities. To find more apps, search for Crick Software in the App Store.
Scene & Heard Pro
This app allows users to create dynamic visual scene displays and video scenes for communication support. It offers customizable hotspots for audio, video, and scene linking, along with features for literacy development and visual timetables. The app supports multiple languages and head tracking access.
- Create visual scene displays
- Prepare video visual scene displays
- Add audio and video hotspots
- Link to other scenes
- Transition To Literacy features
- Visual timetables
- Head tracking access
Read full descriptionHide full description
Scene & Heard Pro is a visual scene display AAC app! Create visual scenes and video visual scenes quicker than before with either voice recordings or synthesised speech. Add hotspots that play audio, and videos, link to other scenes or activate Transition To Literacy features. To gain access to all of our amazing features, choose from our affordable monthly and yearly auto-renewing subscription plans. Features: * Make visual scene displays on the go with your clients and students * Prepare video visual scene displays to support communication and independence * Create hotspots anywhere on the photo * Add audio recordings or use text-to-speech * Include videos on hotspots * Link to scenes * Transition To Literacy for both sight words and decodable words * Set up visual timetables * Make grid based AAC pages using symbols and photos * Organise communication books by topics * Export and import scenes *Head Tracking access method available! No calibration or additional hardware required. *Available in 10 languages, which you can switch to after downloading the app: Arabic, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Scene & Heard Pro at every 6 weeks against DocsPlus Universal's every 6 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. DocsPlus Universal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Scene & Heard Pro sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
DocsPlus Universal ships an update every 6 months, Scene & Heard Pro every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | DocsPlus Universal | Scene & Heard Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 4.3 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 6 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Subscription |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 17 | 16.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 177 MB | 323 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Crick Software | Prentke Romich Company |
In-app purchases
DocsPlus Universal
- DocsPlus Universal full$350.00
Scene & Heard Pro
- Monthly Subscription1 Month trial$8.991 Month
- Yearly Subscription1 Month trial$59.991 Year
Questions
Is DocsPlus Universal free?
Is Scene & Heard Pro free?
Do DocsPlus Universal or Scene & Heard Pro have ads?
Which is updated more often, DocsPlus Universal or Scene & Heard Pro?
Other comparisons















