Cboard vs Spoken
Cboard
cboard.ioSpoken
spokenaac.comSide by side
| Figure | Cboard | Spoken |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $6.58/mo | $8.25/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 3 | 4 |
| Spec score · AAC Communication Software | 9.4 (#1) | 7.8 (#12) |
| Personalization | Registered users can personalize boards and save changes to their accounts, while non-registered users cannot safely save changes. | Premium includes saved phrases, customizable lifelike voices, and a quiz that personalizes suggestions about friends, family, pets, and favorite locations. |
| Privacy and security | Cboard says it uses secured networks, SSL encryption for sensitive information, regular malware scanning, and gateway processing so transactions are not stored on its servers. | The privacy policy says Spoken uses software tools, firewalls, and virus, intrusion, and malware detection to safeguard information, while warning that internet transmission cannot be guaranteed fully secure. |
| Purpose | Cboard is an open-source app for children and adults with speech and language impairments. | Spoken is an AAC app for people unable to use their voice because of nonverbal autism, aphasia, stroke, or other speech and language disorders. |
| Support | Password resets are handled by emailing [email protected], and Pro includes a private support channel. | Spoken lists [email protected] and 1-740-538-0005 for questions, comments, or problems. |
Plans
Spoken
- Spoken base versionFree
- Spoken Premium Monthly$12.99 a month
- Spoken Premium Yearly$99 a year
- Spoken Premium for life$249, paid once
In their own words
Cboard
Cboard is an open-source communication app for children and adults with speech and language impairments. It supports communication through symbols and text-to-speech, with customizable boards that registered users can save to their accounts. Live Mode lets users type in the output bar alongside symbols. Available speech controls include voice selection, pitch, and speaking rate; Cboard states that it supports 46 languages. It works on modern browsers and is listed for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. Offline use is supported in Google Chrome on desktop and Android. Boards can be exported to OpenBoard Format, PDF, or Cboard's native format, and users can import OpenBoard and previously exported files. Touchscreen, keyboard, and mouse are supported access methods. The free plan is listed at free. Pro Monthly Plan costs $8 a month, and Pro Yearly Plan costs $79 a year. Pro features include online neural voices, board sharing, voice recording for tiles, and a private support channel. Non-registered users cannot safely save board changes.
Spoken
Spoken is an augmentative and alternative communication app for people who cannot use speech because of nonverbal autism, aphasia, stroke, or other speech and language disorders. Users compose messages on a mobile device, and the app reads them aloud with text-to-speech. It predicts words and can offer suggestions that adapt to a user’s communication. Access methods include touch, typing, handwriting, drawing, eye tracking, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. The free base version includes an attention button, large text display, large print mode, dark mode, and phrase sharing. Premium adds saved phrases, customizable lifelike voices, and a quiz that tailors suggestions to familiar people, pets, and places. Spoken runs on iOS and iPadOS 11 or later, Android 5.1 or later, and Apple Silicon Macs. Internet access is needed for all features, though limited functions work offline. The automatic Premium trial lasts around 600 words. The base app remains available afterward; Premium costs $12.99 a month, $99 a year, or $249, paid once website purchase.