Comparison

iMean vs Proloquo4Text AAC

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

Head to head
About

iMean

This app transforms your device into a text-based communication tool with large keys and word suggestions. It's designed to aid individuals with autism and stroke in expressing themselves and formulating thoughts through text.

Highlights
  • Large, easy-to-read keys
  • Word suggestions for speed and reading practice
  • Dedicated text-based communication
  • Large YES/NO buttons
  • Text-to-speech functionality
  • Multiple keyboard layouts (alphabetical, QWERTY)
  • Editing and copy functions
Features
Read full description

iMean turns iPad and now iPhone into a letterboard with large easy-to-read keys and word suggestions. I developed it to help my autistic son communicate and formulate his thoughts and for us it has been a huge success (he was 15 when we launched this app and he is now in college). Richie Meade-Miller did the programming. My son enjoys the word suggestions not just for speed but because they make him read. Our customers include many typers living with nonspeaking autism, as well as people with stroke. We have found iPad makes it easy to switch into this app from reading or watching a video so we can discuss what we are studying and then switch back again. Unlike icon-based systems this app is dedicated to text and the subtleties of expression and immense developmental potential that using text and formulating abstract thoughts offers many people on the autistic spectrum. The app saves what's been spelled and features large YES and NO buttons in the main view. iMean's word prediction offers up to three possible word suggestions as the user is typing. These can be selected with one tap of the finger. This speeds communication and also fosters visual scanning and reading as the user looks at the words and considers whether they are what she or he is trying to spell. There are four views, a large keyboard in alphabetical order, a full-screen qwerty keyboard, a numeric view for entering numbers and an editing view that makes use of the standard iPad QWERTY keyboard as well as the Apple-built edit, select and copy functions which can be used to transfer the text to other applications such as word processing and mail. iMean has the ability to speak the text that is entered. Comments and feature requests are welcome via info@burgeonandflourish.com.

About

Proloquo4Text AAC

This text-to-speech app assists individuals who cannot use their voice to communicate. It features a streamlined interface for easy typing, customizable layouts, and quick access to common phrases. Users can personalize voices, adjust appearance, and integrate with messaging and calling functions.

Highlights
  • Single-screen interface for easy typing
  • Customizable screen layout and appearance
  • Quick access to saved phrases
  • Advanced word prediction
  • Multiple natural-sounding voices
  • Integration with messaging and calls
  • Offline communication capability
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Proloquo4Text™ is a text to speech app for those who cannot rely on their voice to speak. The app is laid out on a single screen to reduce the effort of typing. The layout enables easy, daily conversation and quick access to your most common phrases. Personalize it to your needs and preferences, whether that’s through choosing from the many voices available, or through customizing your screen layout. Proloquo4Text is the leading AAC solution for literate adults, teens and children. It is used by people with a wide range of diagnoses, including developmental disabilities (like autism, apraxia, and cerebral palsy) and acquired disorders (like laryngectomy, ALS, stroke, or traumatic brain injury). Proloquo4Text can be used to produce speech by anyone who can type and spell. Communicate with ease • Use the single screen for easy access to words, phrases and keyboard • Switch easily between conversations, making it easy to answer a question in another conversation, without disrupting what you typed in the first conversation. • Decide when you speak with play, pause and speak-as-you-type • Adjust appearance (font, color, text size) to your preference and needs Reduce typing effort • Create, save and organize commonly used phrases • Make typing quicker with advanced, self-learning PolyPredix™ word prediction • Show what you typed with the fullscreen view and flip text features • Type once, then say it again with history and sentence prediction • Use keyboard shortcuts for quick access when using an external keyboard Choose your voice • Download, natural-sounding voices within Proloquo4Text. All premium Acapela voices are included in Proloquo4Text with no in-app purchase. • Add personality and humor to your conversations with free specialty voices • Choose from over 100 voices in 18 languages, so you can find the one that sounds most like you. Switch easily between languages. • Use my-own-voice, a voice-banking technology, to preserve and capture the essence of your own voice in synthetic speech. Share your world • Send email, messages, and tweets from Proloquo4Text • Write in Proloquo4Text and copy your text into another app • Listen to text by pasting into Proloquo4Text • Make phone and FaceTime video calls with Proloquo4Text. Take your voice anywhere • Proloquo4Text is available on both iOS and macOS. With iOS, you can use the app on your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. The Mac version is a separate purchase on the Mac App Store. • Smoothly transition between devices, thanks to Proloquo4Text’s consistent navigation on iPhone and iPad • Easily access your commonly used phrases on Apple Watch, and just tap to show or speak them. You can customize the contents shown on the Watch from your iPhone. Accessibility features • Follow words as they are spoken with optional sentence or word highlighting • Optimized for Switch Control and VoiceOver • Communicate without an internet connection • Use multitasking functionality to run another app side-by-side on supported devices • Keep your devices in sync by easily backing up and restoring your customizations and stored phrases. AssistiveWare® is the developer of Proloquo2Go®, an award-winning symbol-based communication app that provides a voice to over 200,000 individuals around the world. Additional note: Educational institutions can get a 50% discount if they purchase 20 or more licenses through Apple’s Volume Purchase Program for Education.

Screenshots

iMean3 screens
Proloquo4Text AAC4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: iMean at $4.99 against Proloquo4Text AAC's $119.99. iMean also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 18.0). Proloquo4Text AAC's advantage is ratings volume (935 vs 3) and chart position (#93 vs unranked). On review sentiment, update cadence, 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

iMean costs $4.99 and Proloquo4Text AAC $119.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

iMean holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Proloquo4Text AAC has 935 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of iMean's written reviews are positive against 90% of Proloquo4Text AAC's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
iMean versus Proloquo4Text AAC: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriMeanProloquo4Text AAC
Price$4.99 — better$119.99
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better4.7 (935 ratings)
Positive reviews91.7% of reviews — better90.5% of reviews
Number of ratings3935 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#93 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS12.4 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB453 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBurgeon & Flourish, LLCAssistiveWare

Customer experience

iMean

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive91.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative8.3%

Proloquo4Text AAC

All ratings933 ratings
Positive95.0%
Neutral3.0%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews63 reviews
Positive90.5%
Neutral1.6%
Negative7.9%

Bugs and requests

iMean

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Proloquo4Text AAC

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Keyboard switching issue when using third-party keyboards
  • Passcode locking the app unexpectedly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to adjust voice tone more precisely
  • Option to speak entire text box regardless of cursor position
  • Integrated iOS keyboard with prediction
  • Separate volume control for the app

In-app purchases

None

iMean

No in-app purchases

None

Proloquo4Text AAC

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iMean free?
iMean costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Proloquo4Text AAC free?
Proloquo4Text AAC costs $119.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, iMean or Proloquo4Text AAC?
iMean is rated higher. iMean averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Proloquo4Text AAC averages 4.7 from 935 ratings.
Do iMean or Proloquo4Text AAC have ads?
Neither iMean nor Proloquo4Text AAC shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iMean or Proloquo4Text AAC?
iMean ships an update every 3 months, and Proloquo4Text AAC every 3 months. Most recently, iMean was updated on October 12, 2026 and Proloquo4Text AAC on October 23, 2026.

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