CoughDrop vs Niki Talk

CoughDrop is an augmentative and alternative communication platform for people with complex communication needs. It provides customizable vocabulary sets, built-in supports, assessment tools and vocabulary progression, with speech output. Users can share pages, send two-way messages and use remote modeling. Access methods include switches and eye or head tracking. The service runs on Android, iOS, web and Windows, and supports offline use with cloud backup; however, Android app syncing requires an internet connection, so offline syncing is unavailable there. Teams can collaborate on pagesets, and reports and goal-setting tools help practitioners and staff track progress. Site licenses add organization management, license reassignment, centralized reporting and optional single sign-on support. The homepage offers two months to try the product before purchase and describes one-time, annual site-license and month-to-month payment options without prices. The listed Communicator Access plan costs $9 a month per communicator. CoughDrop serves communicators, families, therapists, educators and care teams.

Niki Talk is an augmentative and alternative communication app intended to help children with autism or disabilities that impair communication. With Niki Talk Designer, users can create custom boards and add pictograms and photos to a personalized album. Designer generates speech through text-to-speech in 31 languages, and the purchase page lists 70 voices. The Trial version lasts 30 days and limits an album to 30 pictures. The Full version costs €4,900, paid once and provides unlimited album pictures and access that never expires. Both plans list one user and unlimited downloads on iPad, iPhone, and Android. The app is also listed for Kindle; Designer can be used on PC, Mac, and iPad. To use an album on a device, users configure it with the same ID and password as Designer and enable album downloads. The maker says its apps do not collect or transmit personal or location data, use analytics, or include advertising. A separate app, Niki Agenda, supports daily or weekly scheduling, activity symbols, customizable pictograms, and token-based rewards.