Picture-based communication for kids still finding their words.
An AAC app for iPhone and iPad that works the moment you open it. Thousands of symbols in 7 languages, built for children who communicate better through pictures than words.
Always free. No subscriptions, no accounts, no ads. Your child's data stays on your device.
Tap to Speak
Children tap symbols to build sentences, then hear them spoken aloud using the device's built-in voice.
Fully Customisable
Caregivers can add, edit, and organise vocabulary items with custom images, labels, and pronunciations. Core Zone rows keep high-frequency words visible on every board.
100% Private & Offline
No subscriptions or accounts. Everything stays local on your device. Back up securely using your personal iCloud container.
Kid Safe
Built for Apple's Kids Category. No ads, no in-app purchases, no external links accessible to children.
How It Works
SpeakPad is designed as two distinct spaces - a distraction-free communication board for your child, and a powerful admin area for you.
1
For the Communicator
A safe, locked-down communication board where your child taps symbols to speak aloud. The fixed grid layout means buttons never move, helping them develop muscle memory and communicate with confidence.
2
For the Caregiver
Hidden behind a secure parental gate - the place where you set up and tune SpeakPad. Every feature below lives in here.
Getting Started with SpeakPad
New to AAC? Three steps to get going - no training required.
1
Download and pick a starter pack
Install the free app, create a profile for your child, and choose from 13 ready-made board packs - from first words to school vocabulary. Everything works right away; no setup needed.
2
Model, don't test
Use SpeakPad yourself during everyday routines - meals, playtime, bedtime. Tap “more”, “water”, “all done” as you say them. Children learn AAC the way they learn any language: by watching first.
3
Grow the board as they grow
When your child is ready, open the caregiver area to add favourites - real photos of pets, family, and snacks - and adjust the layout to fit their progress. Email support@speakpadapp.com any time if you get stuck.
Designed for Caregivers
Add real photos of your child's favourite people, pets, and snacks, create sub-boards for different activities, and run separate profiles for multiple children. Back everything up to iCloud, or hand a single board to a teacher or therapist as a .speakpad file they can open on any device.
A persistent Core Zone keeps high-frequency words like “I”, “want”, “more” and “help” visible on every board, always one tap away. Word Finder, a Recent Words bar, Saved Messages for phrases you use often, and a 5-second undo make daily communication faster and less stressful.
What is AAC?
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) helps people who have difficulty with spoken language to communicate.
SpeakPad provides a grid of picture symbols that children can tap to build phrases and sentences, which are then spoken aloud by the device. The rigid grid structure supports motor planning - meaning buttons never move, allowing a child to learn locations via muscle memory.
Who is SpeakPad for?
SpeakPad is built for children (and anyone) who finds spoken language hard, and communicates better through pictures and a steady voice.
Autism Spectrum
If your child is on the spectrum, SpeakPad offers a predictable, low-stimulation way to communicate. Buttons stay in the same place every time, so finding a word becomes automatic.
Apraxia of Speech
For children whose minds hold the words that their mouths can't yet reliably shape, tapping a symbol is faster and far less exhausting than trying to speak.
Down Syndrome
A good fit for early intervention - bridging the gap between what your child understands and what they can say out loud.
Cerebral Palsy
Adjustable grid sizes, touch-hold tolerances, and full iOS Switch Control support mean SpeakPad can fit almost any motor profile.
See SpeakPad in Action
At a Glance
Designed with Fitzgerald Key coloring for nouns, verbs, adjectives, and more. Visual consistency speeds up language acquisition.
Sentence Building
Words flow naturally into the message bar, enabling emerging communicators to string together full thoughts and sentences effortlessly.
Caregiver Controls
Locked behind a parental gate, caregivers can adjust the grid size, edit vocabulary, create custom folders, and manage child profiles safely.
High-Quality Symbols
SpeakPad includes 16,900+ symbols from the Mulberry Symbol Set and ARASAAC - open-source collections (CC BY-SA 4.0 and CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) of crisp, recognisable symbols created exclusively for AAC use.
A True Universal App
Free on iPhone and iPad. Same boards, same profiles, same voice - your child's vocabulary follows them wherever the day goes.
Smart Language Tools
SpeakPad is designed to support natural language development, accommodating diverse households and growing vocabularies.
Bilingual Support
Perfect for multilingual families. Display two languages on every symbol with seamless multi-language text-to-speech capabilities.
Grammar & Popups
Long-press words to access morphological variants (like plurals, past tense, and comparatives) teaching proper sentence structure in all 7 supported languages.
13 Ready-Made Board Packs
Start with a curated vocabulary pack, from early communication essentials to social and independence, then customise every word, symbol, and board to fit your child's needs. 1,143 items across 91 boards, all in 7 languages.
Word Prediction
Predicted next words glow directly on the communication grid. Tap the keyboard button in the message bar to type words with on-device word prediction for literate users.
Recent Words
A dynamic row showing the 7 most recently tapped words for quick reuse.
Works with Other AAC Apps
Import boards from CoughDrop, CBoard, or any AAC app that supports the Open Board Format (.obf / .obz). Export your SpeakPad boards the same way so speech therapists and schools can open them in whatever tool they already use.
Common Questions
Answers for families new to AAC.
Is SpeakPad really free?
Yes - permanently. Every feature is unlocked. No subscription, no paywall, no ads, no in-app purchases reachable by children. An optional tip jar lets you support development if you'd like, but nothing is ever locked behind it.
My child doesn't speak at all. Will AAC delay their speech even further?
A large body of research, summarised by ASHA, finds the opposite: AAC supports the development of spoken language rather than replacing it. Giving your child a reliable way to communicate reduces frustration and often leads to more speech attempts over time, not fewer.
What age is SpeakPad for?
There's no official minimum. SpeakPad has been used with toddlers from around 18 months, right up to teens and adult AAC users. Starter packs range from single-word Visual Scenes for beginners to full phrase-building boards for literate users.
What if I don't know anything about AAC?
That's the most common starting point. SpeakPad is ready to use the moment you open it - pick a starter pack and begin. The “How It Works” and “Getting Started” sections above cover the basics, and our blog has longer parent guides.
Is my child's data private?
Completely. SpeakPad has no accounts, no analytics, no tracking, and never connects to any server. Boards, photos, and usage data stay on your device. Optional backups go to your own iCloud, which only you can see.
Can a speech therapist or teacher use SpeakPad with my child?
Yes. SpeakPad supports multiple profiles on one device, sharing a single board as a .speakpad file, and PDF export of usage reports for IEP or therapy meetings. Many SLTs use it as a take-home tool between sessions.
For Speech Therapists & Clinical UsersShow advanced tools and clinical features
Advanced Clinical Toolkit
SpeakPad goes beyond simple grids. It includes advanced accessibility tools usually only found in expensive enterprise communication apps.
Visual Scene Displays
Upload context-rich photos (like a playground or a kitchen) and draw invisible tap-targets over objects to trigger speech. Perfect for early communicators.
In-App Switch Scanning
Built-in row-column, linear, and group scanning with configurable speed and audio cues. For external Bluetooth switches, SpeakPad works with iOS system-level Switch Control.
Usage Analytics & Reports
Private, on-device tracking of word frequency, session duration, and communication rate. Export PDF reports, CSV, or JSON for IEP meetings and therapy documentation.
Sentence History
Review spoken sentences. Re-speak previous messages, find frequent phrases, and track daily communication in the analytics dashboard.
Profile Management
Support for multiple child profiles on a single device, ideal for speech language therapists and schools.
Word Finder
Quickly locate any word with a dedicated search tool that scans across all boards.
Mistake Recovery
Accidentally cleared your message? A helpful undo feature restores your message bar instantly.
Printable Boards
Generate high-quality PDF versions of any board with vector-rendered symbols and Fitzgerald Key colours. Choose orientation, bilingual labels, or black-and-white mode, then print or share.
For Professionals & Therapists
We know Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) and pathologists rely on evidence-based design. SpeakPad's core architecture was developed around three non-negotiable principles:
Strict Motor Planning: Buttons never reflow or shift when grids are resized. A word stays exactly where a child learned it.
Vocabulary Masking: Hide advanced vocabulary without altering the board layout. Introduce words progressively (Progressive Disclosure) as the child's skills grow.
Fitzgerald Key Compliance: Core vocabulary color-coding is built-in by default to aid in rapid visual scanning.
SpeakPad is a reliable, robust tool to send home with parents for daily use between therapy sessions.
Full accessibility is built in: VoiceOver labels on every element, in-app switch scanning (row-column, linear, and group), Dynamic Type support, and configurable touch accommodations (hold duration, repeat filtering). Compatible with iOS head tracking and AssistiveTouch. Requires iOS / iPadOS 17+.
