Scan vs Keywords Understanding Lite
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Scan
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The "lite" version of our large-print, early academic program for beginning to advanced letter users using switch-assisted input. It uses an errorless learning method. Scan-A-Word works on identification, spelling, & word recognition (for reading). Scaffolding (as much help as needed but as little as possible) is embedded so as to help those with significant cognitive challenges. The full version allows you to easily enter lists of spelling words/phrases for the learner to practice and be tested on. WordLists consisting of hundreds of words/sounds/pictures are available from the developer's website at no charge. Scan-A-Word has built-in scanning capabilities, as well as special feedback for blind learners.
Keywords Understanding Lite
This app offers a sample of speech and language therapy exercises focused on sentence comprehension. It helps users practice following directions, understanding basic concepts, and improving auditory and reading comprehension skills through interactive activities.
- Listening comprehension exercises
- Reading comprehension exercises
- Following directions (one/two-step, temporal, sequential)
- Basic concepts (size, color)
- Vocabulary understanding
- Sample of full app features
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Keywords Understanding LITE is a free version of Keyword Understanding. It gives you a sample of the content you would get in the full version. It allows you to see how the full version works and try it out for free. Keyword Understanding (the full app version) is a professional speech and language therapy app that works on sentence-level reading and listening comprehension. It also targets the understanding of vocabulary, basic concepts and the ability to follow directions of increasing keyword length. WHO IS KEYWORD UNDERSTANDING FOR? - Children with reduced attention and auditory processing difficulties - Children with language delay or disorder - Children with autism and language comprehension difficulties - Adults with aphasia and reading or spoken language comprehension difficulties after a stroke or traumatic brain injury - Adults with cognitive-communication difficulties due to stroke or brain injury WHAT LANGUAGE AREAS DOES KEYWORD UNDERSTANDING TARGET? FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS: Following directions is important in our everyday lives. In order to understand and follow directions, one needs a strong knowledge of basic concepts, vocabulary and the ability to process and retain spoken or written information in memory. BASIC CONCEPTS, ONE AND TWO STEP DIRECTIONS: Keyword Understanding works on the basic concepts of size and color as well as one and two-step directions of increasing length and difficulty e.g - “Touch the red balloon” - “Touch the small green umbrella” - “Touch the yellow chair and the blue candle” - “Touch the big pink cupcake and the small green glasses”. TEMPORAL DIRECTIONS (BEFORE/AFTER): Keyword Understanding includes Temporal Directions tasks that target the child or adult’s ability to follow directions that include the concepts 'Before/After' in a variety of positions in the sentence. e.g - “Before you touch the t-shirt, touch the phone” - “After you touch the lamp, touch the vase” - “Touch the flower before you touch the box” - “Touch the sock after you touch the bucket” SEQUENTIAL DIRECTIONS (FIRST…THEN): The app also includes Sequential Directions that target the child or adult’s ability to follow directions that include the concepts 'First ... Then' in the sentence. e.g - “First touch the ladder, then touch the bike”. FEATURES OF KEYWORDS UNDERSTANDING LITE This FREE version, Keywords Understanding LITE allows you to sample each activity in the full version but it only includes 6 objects. The FULL version includes many more allowing for much more variety in each activity and many more trials. The full version also allows you to select and deselect vocabulary items in the Word List. 3 modes: - Listening Comprehension (Audio Only): Match the spoken direction to the pictures - Reading Comprehension (Text Only): Match the written direction to the pictures - Listening and Reading Comprehension (Audio and Text): Match the spoken and written directions to the pictures - Bright, colorful, real-life photos of common objects - 6 objects in five different colors and sizes. The full version has a large variety allowing for thousands of possible following directions tasks - 3 trials in each activity. The full version allows for up to 50 trials per session. - A comprehension check activity to find out where comprehension breakdown occurs - Audio feedback for correct answers only, incorrect answers only or both - Graded tasks of increasing difficulty - User profiles and result history - Automatic tracking of scores - Optional results summary via email - iOS voices (automatically selected based on your region). Download an enhanced iOS voice for best quality. All Aptus Speech Therapy apps participate in the 50% off Volume Purchase Program, so you can buy in bulk at a discounted price. Are you looking for a different kind of speech therapy app? Check out our full range of speech and language therapy apps for adults and children on the AppStore or on our website.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Keywords Understanding Lite at none against Scan's 1. Keywords Understanding Lite also leads on device support (3 vs 1). Scan's advantage is update cadence (every 6 months vs every 68 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price and ads 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. Scan sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Keywords Understanding Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.
Scan ships an update every 6 months, Keywords Understanding Lite every 68 months. The most recent releases landed on May 16, 2026 and August 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Scan | Keywords Understanding Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 3 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months — better | Every 68 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 47 MB | 60 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | RJ Cooper & Associates, Inc. | Aptus Speech and Language Therapy Limited |
In-app purchases
Scan
- Upgrade to Full Version of Scan-A-Word$4.99
Keywords Understanding Lite
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Scan free?
Is Keywords Understanding Lite free?
Do Scan or Keywords Understanding Lite have ads?
Which is updated more often, Scan or Keywords Understanding Lite?
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