SpeechBox vs Tactus Therapy

SpeechBox supports word and phrase articulation practice for people with speech disorders, including Childhood Apraxia of Speech, autism, Down syndrome, stroke rehabilitation, and phonological disorders. Its library lists over 2,350 target words and over 2,000 simple phrases arranged in categories. Users can make custom boxes and add personalized pictures from a camera, photo library, or Bing image search. Practice responses can be marked correct, incorrect, approximate, or prompted, with results exportable to PDF or spreadsheet. Audio choices include professional recordings, user-recorded prompts, and male and female US, UK, and Australian English voices. Custom boxes can be shared with colleagues, parents, and others, and the app can be used for teletherapy with Zoom or Google Meet. SpeechBox runs on iOS and macOS. The site offers a free “/p/ Box” and a 30-day free trial. Monthly plans cost $3.99 a month for Basic Access, $7.99 a month for Professional Access, and $9.99 a month for Elite Access. Annual plans listed are $39.99 a year for Basic Access and $79.99 a year for Professional Access.

Tactus Therapy offers adult rehabilitation apps and a browser-based Virtual Rehab Center for practicing language, speech, cognition, and swallowing skills. The web service is intended for clinicians, healthcare organizations, universities, patients, and families. It includes interactive treatments using speech recognition, feedback, cues, and difficulty that adjusts during practice. Tactus says certified speech-language pathologists design treatments based on research and clinical best practices; swallowing treatments are available to clinicians only. Clinician plans include interactive treatments, handouts, documentation tools, and homework for up to 10 patients. Pro Yearly costs $22 a year, billed at $22 per month and paid annually ($264/year), plus applicable taxes. Pro Monthly costs $27 a month, plus applicable taxes. Group plans are paid annually and quoted on request. Separate iOS and Android mobile apps are one-time purchases ranging from $10 to $30 USD plus tax, with individual app prices varying. The Virtual Rehab Center works in a web browser on any device, while the standalone mobile apps are available for iOS and Android. Tactus Therapy is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, and was founded in 2011.