Comparison

GoTalk® NOW vs Grid for iPad

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

Head to head
About

GoTalk® NOW

This powerful app provides flexible and easy-to-use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools for individuals with speech difficulties. It offers customizable page layouts, various communication styles, and rich media integration to support diverse communication needs.

Highlights
  • Adjustable page layouts
  • Customizable navigation
  • Recorded and text-to-speech capabilities
  • Standard, Express, and Scene communication pages
  • Visual Scene Displays
  • In-app image search and import
  • Video and music integration
Features
Read full description

Attainment has been making augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools for 25 years. Our experience is front and center in GoTalk NOW, a flexible, easy-to-use, yet powerful app for people who have difficulty speaking. NOW combines the simplicity of GoTalks (Attainment’s popular original AAC device) with the dynamic capabilities of an iPad. GoTalk NOW has all the essentials of an effective AAC app, like adjustable page layouts, customizable navigation, recorded and text-to-speech capabilities, and an included symbol set. But we sweated the details to create unique and compelling features that clearly separate NOW from other AAC apps. The new NOW offers three styles of communication pages: Standard, Express, and Scenes. In Standard pages, the action occurs when the location is pressed. In Express pages, recorded or text-to-speech messages build in a speech bar and play in sequence when the bar is pressed. Scene pages are built around a single photo or image. When you arrange invisible hotspots over people or objects in the photo, the hotspots play speech, music, or videos! Feel free to mix and match pages within a communication book. Create as many communication books as you need, each with unique settings and unlimited pages. Then share these books with other users via WiFi, and back them up for safekeeping via Dropbox or any Mac/PC. Envision the impact of blending video, music, and jump to actions among your pages. How cool is it to have your own private online galley to store and save your templates (up to five communication pages) for free, and to email these templates to parents and colleagues! Plus, GoTalk NOW is a full-feature scanning app! Features: • Choose 1, 2, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, or 49 locations per page. • Use Visual Scene Displays to communicate using familiar images & contexts. • Hybrid Scene Pages combine the best of both button & VSD pages. • Import images from your iPad camera, photo library, or the included Imagine Symbol set. • Search the Internet in-app for the perfect image or icon. • Purchase SymbolStix, PCS, or Widgit Symbols libraries in-app. • Crop, scale, or rotate an image using your fingers. • Combine multiple images in a single communication location. • Color pages, borders, and text with any hue. • Move and size text with your fingers so it feels just right. • Record your voice or use free, built-in text-to-speech voices. • Buy higher quality voices starting at 99 cents each, available in over 20 languages. • Add spoken labels (auditory cues) to any button. Great for scanning, guiding visually impaired users, and identifying any new or difficult vocabulary. • Trim videos in-app, and play them from any communication location. • Select our alternate video interface to pause or exit the video easily. • Link songs from your playlist to any communication location and control them with Pause/Play, Next, and Previous. • Include a core vocabulary button for extra quick access to important messages. • Create multimedia social stories and step-by-step instruction layouts by linking pages with an after action. • Share complete communication books via WiFi with any iPad user who has NOW. • Back up communication books via Dropbox or to any Mac or PC for safekeeping. • Store and share interactive templates (each including speech, video, text, and jump to links) on our online gallery for free. • Download and edit premade templates from Attainment’s collection on the public gallery, also free. • Email links to your templates to parents and colleagues, who can open the template on their iPad by tapping on the link. • Print and save communication book layouts via PDFs. • Access Now with single or two-switch scanning. GoTalk NOW participates in Apple's Volume Purchasing Program for Education in the United States. Attainment is well known for top-notch customer service. Email us with questions or comments and check our website for free webinars. And yes, we're happy to talk to you on the telephone!

About

Grid for iPad

This app provides a comprehensive Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) solution for individuals with diverse communication needs. It offers a wide range of symbol sets, customizable layouts, and AI-powered tools to facilitate clear and personalized communication.

Highlights
  • Evidence-based AAC resources
  • Online Grids for community content
  • In-app and Remote Editing
  • AI-powered tools
  • Multiple symbol sets (SymbolStix, PCS, Widgit)
  • Multilingual support
  • Pre-built communication tools (Super Core, Alpha Core, Text Talker)
Read full description

This version can be purchased under the Apple VPP service as well as on the App Store. Free 30 day trial available with the Grid for iPad - AAC version. Search 'Grid for iPad' in the App Store. Grid for iPad is a complete Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) solution designed for people of all ages and communication needs. It offers a range of resources, flexible communication tools, and options that can be adapted over time. Try it FREE for 30 days - voices included! Key features: ► A range of included content for people who need symbol or text based AAC, including Super Core, Voco Chat, and Text Talker ► Suitable for use with touch access or switches. ► Evidence-based symbol AAC vocabularies, created by experienced speech and language therapists and education professionals, with a focus on vocabulary for communicating within everyday routines and activities. ► Includes SymbolStix, PCS and Widgit symbols – choose the symbol library that is most suitable, to match the symbols already being used in the environment, or to support transition from other AAC systems. ► Voices and grid sets for over 20 languages to support communication in a range of languages. Ideal for multilingual families or classrooms. Why families and professionals choose Grid for iPad for children and adults with communication difficulties: ► In-app editing – Fast, intuitive editing makes it easy to add new words, personalise vocabulary, and adapt layouts to the needs of the individual. ► Remote Editing – SLTs, teachers and families can edit any time, without needing the device in their hands. ► Powerful voice technology – Choose from a range of voices, including the latest AI powered multilingual voices from ElevenLabs, or for those who are able to, record your own voice messages. ► AI Powered Tools - Make use of optional tools to correct typing errors, or support the user to change the tone or wording of their message. ► Talk to your Smart Speaker – Use Grid for iPad to speak instructions to smart home devices, request music, hear the latest news and weather, play games and ask questions. ► Online Grids – Do even more with Grid for iPad by searching and downloading FREE ready-made grid sets created by clinicians, educators, and the Grid community. What’s included: ► Super Core - Evidence-based core vocabulary focused on communication within everyday routines and activities. Designed for supporting AAC learners from single words to building full sentences. Available in 30‑cell and 50‑cell sizes, with simpler 12 and 20 cell learning grids for those just starting out. ►Voco Chat – Designed to enable users to communicate for a wide range of reasons, with supported message pathways and carefully chosen vocabulary, for fast and efficient symbol communication. ► Alpha Core - Offers a range of text-based layouts to support the communication of people with changing physical abilities, with quick access to predictive text and common phrases, alongside a keyboard of your choice. ► Text Talker - Enabling people to say what they want to say in the moment, or prepare and save messages in advance for faster conversations. ►Aphasia Duo - Designed specifically for people with aphasia and their communication partners to support participation in everyday life, including a range of word-finding and conversational supports, and whiteboard for writing and drawing. ► PODD (in-app purchase) - Created by Australian Speech Pathologist Gayle Porter, PODD organises language according to the reason for communication, designed to support spontaneous communication in any situation. ► And MUCH more - Grid for iPad also includes a range of interactive learning activities (just try Dilbert the Dog!), animated communication from Symoji, and educational resources. Contact our tech support experts any time at support@thinksmartbox.com For more details on our evidence-based vocabularies, visit the Smartbox Hub.

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: GoTalk® NOW at $119.99 against Grid for iPad's $299.99. GoTalk® NOW also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.0) and review sentiment (61% vs 25%). Grid for iPad's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

GoTalk® NOW costs $119.99 and Grid for iPad $299.99 up front. GoTalk® NOW sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Grid for iPad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

GoTalk® NOW holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of GoTalk® NOW's written reviews are positive against 25% of Grid for iPad's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GoTalk® NOW ships an update every 5 weeks, Grid for iPad fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
GoTalk® NOW versus Grid for iPad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGoTalk® NOWGrid for iPad
Price$119.99 — better$299.99
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better2.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews60.9% of reviews — better25.0% of reviews
Number of ratings24 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPadiPad
Requires iOS15.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size235 MB1.4 GB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAttainment CompanySmartbox Assistive Technology

Customer experience

GoTalk® NOW

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews23 reviews
Positive60.9%
Neutral4.3%
Negative34.8%

Grid for iPad

All ratings4 ratings
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

10 purchases

GoTalk® NOW

One-time10
  • Kenny$0.99
  • Nelly$0.99
  • Ryan$0.99
Show 7 more
  • Tracy$0.99
  • Will$0.99
  • Ella$11.99
  • Josh$11.99
  • Ready-Set-Communicate$19.99
  • SymbolStix$49.99
  • English (US) Keywords$59.99
1 purchases

Grid for iPad

One-time1
  • PODD for Grid (English)$99.00

Questions

Is GoTalk® NOW free?
GoTalk® NOW costs $119.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Grid for iPad free?
Grid for iPad costs $299.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, GoTalk® NOW or Grid for iPad?
GoTalk® NOW is rated higher. GoTalk® NOW averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Grid for iPad averages 2.0 from 4 ratings.
Do GoTalk® NOW or Grid for iPad have ads?
Neither GoTalk® NOW nor Grid for iPad shows ads.
Which is updated more often, GoTalk® NOW or Grid for iPad?
GoTalk® NOW ships an update every 5 weeks, and Grid for iPad fortnightly. Most recently, GoTalk® NOW was updated on November 6, 2026 and Grid for iPad on November 8, 2026.

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