Comparison

Twinkl Symbols AAC System vs Applied ACT

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

Head to head
About

Twinkl Symbols AAC System

This app provides a comprehensive Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) system designed for individuals with special educational or speech, language, and communication needs. It offers a vast library of symbols, customizable creation tools, and ready-made templates to facilitate communication, learning, and daily routines.

Highlights
  • 8,000+ trusted symbols
  • Custom symbol creation
  • 100+ ready-made templates
  • Symbolized timers and timetables
  • Reward charts and debrief templates
  • Printable resources
  • Apple Watch integration
Features
Read full description

Twinkl Symbols: The Power of a Clear Voice. The pain of finding a clear, trusted AAC system is real. You’re constantly navigating the challenge of helping children and adults with special educational or speech, language and communication needs find their voice. It takes time, energy, and resources you don't always have. We get it. Because we’re teachers, too. Twinkl Symbols is the communication tool built to cut the chaos. Created by expert SPED educators, it’s designed to transform your classroom by giving every learner the power to participate, choose, and connect—all completely free. Stop scrambling for differentiated support. Start building futures. Why Twinkl Symbols is Your New Best Colleague DESIGN & CREATE: More time teaching, less time building. Stop searching, start teaching. Access over 8,000 trusted symbols instantly, all broken down into clear, easy-to-find categories. Give every learner what they need. Choose between color or black and white symbols to perfectly suit their sensory needs and preferences. Keep it personal and organized. Quickly create and file your own custom symbols using our huge library of Twinkl illustrations or even your own camera roll photos. Ditch the busy work. Use 100+ ready-made templates to instantly create personalized boards, flashcards, and word banks without starting from scratch. Simplify planning and routines. Use customizable symbolized timers, timetables, and 'now and next' boards to help learners feel calm and in control of their day. Address behaviour with clarity. Reward charts and debrief templates empower you to help learners understand their feelings and behaviors. SHARE & COMMUNICATE: Giving you back your voice, too. You don’t need to be a tech expert. Intuitive swipe controls and easy-to-manage scroll views mean you can quickly access the symbols and content you’re looking for—no complicated instructions needed. Get your work-life balance back. Easily back up and share all your creations across your iOS devices or with other Twinkl Symbols users. Print your resources in a flash. Easily print your custom boards and communication books directly from the app. No workarounds required. Total control, zero stress. Visibility settings let you show or hide specific app categories, ensuring the tool is perfectly tailored to your exact needs. Empower communication on the go. Access personalized solutions and edit your symbols straight from your Apple Watch, so you can communicate effectively anywhere, any time. A TRUSTED VOICE IN YOUR CORNER We speak your language. All app content was created by our specialist team of SPED expert educators who have lived the classroom life. Support that's actually human. Get 24/7 support from the lovely Twinkl Cares team—yes, you can always speak to a real person. No bots or long lines. The Twinkl Symbols app is currently free for Twinkl members and non-members alike. In the future, as the app grows, some features may only be accessible with a Twinkl membership or an in-app subscription. We hope you enjoy using Twinkl Symbols, and we’d love to hear your feedback and ideas! Privacy Policy: https://www.twinkl.com/legal#privacy-policy Terms and Conditions: https://www.twinkl.com/legal#terms-and-conditions

About

Applied ACT

Features
Read full description

Applied ACT brings your enrolled training and learning resources together in one place. Designed for clinicians developing their use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, the app gives you mobile access to the courses and resources available through your Applied ACT account. Previously known as Katalis, Applied ACT is a specialist division of Behavioural Health. Existing learners can continue using their current account. Available content and features depend on your enrolments. Visit appliedact.com to explore training or learn.appliedact.com to access the learning platform.

Screenshots

Twinkl Symbols AAC System4 screens
Applied ACT4 screens

Verdict

The call

Twinkl Symbols AAC System and Applied ACT are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Twinkl Symbols AAC System sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Applied ACT sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Twinkl Symbols AAC System ships an update every 3 weeks, Applied ACT monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Twinkl Symbols AAC System versus Applied ACT: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTwinkl Symbols AAC SystemApplied ACT
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (310 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews82.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings310 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size558 MB113 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperTwinkl LimitedBehavioural Health Pty Ltd

Bugs and requests

Twinkl Symbols AAC System

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • Voice stopped working after last update
  • App closes when going to voice settings
  • Maths question feature pops up unexpectedly
  • Custom symbols not appearing on shared boards
  • Lost custom symbols when sharing boards
Show 6 more
  • Button section not working
  • App keeps crashing
  • Misspelled word 'fifteen' cannot be edited
  • Says out of date on first download
  • Cannot get pictures to come up
  • Communication/chat boards missing link back to home page

Requested features

10 requests
  • Folders inside boards for more options
  • More board size options
  • Ability to add folders on the board
  • Spell check feature
  • Option to make buttons bigger
Show 5 more
  • Keep the app free
  • Login option to sync boards between app and website
  • Option to share custom symbol folders
  • Link Twinkl account and Symbols app
  • Alphabetical order for saved boards

Applied ACT

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Twinkl Symbols AAC System

Subscriptions2
  • One Month Subscription$1.991 Month
  • Annual Subscription$9.991 Year
9 purchases

Applied ACT

One-time9
  • Living with Pain2 variants$79.99
  • Sleep Reset$79.99
  • Depression: Practical Skills$79.99
Show 6 more
  • Anxiety: Practical Skills$79.99
  • ACT for Anxiety: ON DEMAND$100.00
  • ACT for Depression: ON DEMAND$100.00
  • ACT in Action: ON DEMAND$100.00
  • Focused ACT: Brief Interventions$129.00
  • Trauma Focused ACT$300.00

Questions

Is Twinkl Symbols AAC System free?
Twinkl Symbols AAC System is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Applied ACT free?
Applied ACT is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Twinkl Symbols AAC System or Applied ACT have ads?
Neither Twinkl Symbols AAC System nor Applied ACT shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Twinkl Symbols AAC System or Applied ACT?
Twinkl Symbols AAC System ships an update every 3 weeks, and Applied ACT monthly. Most recently, Twinkl Symbols AAC System was updated on November 3, 2026 and Applied ACT on November 5, 2026.

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