SoundingBoard vs Progress Grove
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SoundingBoard
Create custom communication boards quickly using pre-made symbols or your own words. This app provides a powerful tool for individuals needing alternative communication methods. It supports switch access for enhanced usability.
- Customizable communication boards
- AbleNet symbol integration
- User-added words
- Switch access support
- Compatible with AbleNet Blue2 Switch
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SoundingBoard transforms your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad into the latest in communication technology. In just minutes, you can create custom boards using AbleNet symbols or your own words. Perfect for children in special education, persons on the autism spectrum, and adults with disabilities. SoundingBoard includes switch access and is compatible with the AbleNet Blue2 Switch.
Progress Grove
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Progress Grove helps K–5 counselors, teachers and behavior specialists record behavior episodes as they happen and turn them into clear, dated observations for intervention reviews and MTSS meetings. MADE FOR THE MIDDLE OF THE MOMENT • Tap Start event when a student is dysregulated, then Escalating, Calming and Regulated as things change. The clock keeps time on its own. • Handing off to the counselor, the office or another teacher? Record who took over in one tap. • A safety event is one more tap, and it doesn't end the session. • Switch to another student and the open session keeps running. • Undo the last tap, or correct a time later. A timer left running is flagged so it can't skew the averages. ADD CONTEXT AFTERWARD • Tap what happened before, what the student did and what helped. • Add a short note by typing or dictating. Dictation is transcribed on the device, and the audio isn't saved. • Sessions waiting for details collect in one list, so nothing is forgotten. SEE WHAT'S WORKING • Each student's history shows how long episodes last, how much of that time was escalating, and which supports were used. • Filter to favorites or to students with sessions that still need notes. PRIVATE BY DESIGN • No accounts, no server, no analytics and no ads. • Students are a number and a color badge, never a name. The app warns you if a note looks like it contains a name. • Records stay in the app's private storage on your device until you choose to export them. • Everything works offline. YOUR SCHOOL KEEPS THE RECORDS • Export a CSV report or a full backup and choose where it goes, such as your school's Google Drive. • Schools can install the free Progress Grove Google Sheet in their own Google Workspace to build MTSS overviews and meeting reports from those exports. • Optional Face ID or passcode lock, and a backup reminder so a lost phone doesn't mean lost records. Progress Grove is made by QuickerNotes, LLC. Questions: support@progressgrove.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Progress Grove at none against SoundingBoard's 10. Progress Grove also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 months). SoundingBoard's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads 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. SoundingBoard sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Progress Grove asks for nothing beyond the download.
SoundingBoard ships an update every 3 months, Progress Grove every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SoundingBoard | Progress Grove |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (34 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 48.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 34 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 26 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | AbleNet | Everfresh Auto Detailing |
Bugs and requests
SoundingBoard
Reported bugs
19 issues- App crashing on startup after purchase
- Folders not saving changes
- Created boards disappearing
- Edit lock not working, student can edit pictures
- Cannot record voice over preloaded boards
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- App crashes after in-app purchase
- App crashes every time going into the app
- User created boards not showing up correctly
- Cannot record voice, does not save
- Cannot create new boards with new symbols, save button does nothing
- Sound quit working on iPad 2 with OS 6
- Two touches needed to activate icon/button
- Last time content was added, it didn't work
- Recordings play back very quietly
- Audio does not work at all
- Does not work on iPod touch
- Images are small, cells are small, does not utilize entire screen
- Difficult to get back to the home screen
- Losing new pages after saving
Requested features
20 requests- Large button icons for board selection
- Login system to save boards across platforms
- Ability to log in and save boards across devices
- User login system for shared boards
- Ability to erase pre-made boards
Show 15 moreShow fewer
- Choose a default board to open with
- iPad version to avoid magnification issues
- Sentence strip option
- Improve picture library search
- Facility to play music tracks directly
- More picture cards for school-related content
- More choices for layout on initial screen
- Option to change background color
- Improve navigation for board design
- Basic pre-formatted pages
- Editing options for pics and boards (size, placement)
- Basic communication symbols (yes/no, alphabet)
- More PX available on a page
- Better contrasting pictures with black background
- Universal or iPad version
Progress Grove
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
SoundingBoard
- Mealtime_MaleFree
- Mealtime_FemaleFree
- Getting Dressed_MaleFree
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- Getting Dressed_FemaleFree
- General Conversation_MaleFree
- General Conversation_FemaleFree
- Fast Food Restaurant_MaleFree
- Fast Food Restaurant_FemaleFree
- Movies_MaleFree
- Movies_FemaleFree
Progress Grove
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is SoundingBoard free?
Is Progress Grove free?
Do SoundingBoard or Progress Grove have ads?
Which is updated more often, SoundingBoard or Progress Grove?
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