Proloquo2Go vs. TouchChat: An Honest Comparison

Reviewed by a licensed speech-language pathologist

Quick answer: Proloquo2Go and TouchChat are both well-regarded AAC apps, and neither is the clear winner for every child. Proloquo2Go tends to feel polished and quick to start, while TouchChat is more customizable and offers word-based vocabularies. The best fit depends on the child’s needs and is best confirmed through a professional AAC trial.

Choosing an augmentative and alternative communication app can feel high stakes, because the app becomes the child’s voice. Two names come up again and again in the proloquo2go vs touchchat conversation, and families often ask which one to buy. The honest position is that both are solid, both are used successfully every day, and the deciding factor is usually the child in front of you rather than a feature checklist.

What are Proloquo2Go and TouchChat?

Both are AAC apps for iPad and iPhone that turn taps on picture symbols and words into spoken output. Augmentative and alternative communication covers any method that supports or replaces speech, from simple picture boards to speech-generating devices, and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association describes it as a set of tools rather than a single product. These two apps sit at the higher end of that toolkit.

Proloquo2Go, made by AssistiveWare, is often praised for a clean interface and a symbol set that many parents and children find intuitive from day one. TouchChat, made by Saltillo, is valued for flexibility and for pairing with WordPower and other vocabulary systems, including word-based layouts that suit stronger readers.

How do the two apps actually differ?

The practical differences fall into a few buckets. Vocabulary organization is one: Proloquo2Go ships with its own structured system, while TouchChat lets you pick from several vocabulary files with different philosophies. Customization is another: both allow edits, but families and clinicians often describe TouchChat as more open to deep rearranging, while Proloquo2Go keeps a more guided setup.

Voices, symbol styles, access methods such as switch scanning, and how motor planning is supported also vary between versions and updates. Because both apps change over time, any head-to-head list can go stale, so the useful move is to test current versions rather than trust an old spec sheet.

Which one is right for my child?

This is where a brand comparison stops being useful and a person becomes essential. A speech-language pathologist can run an AAC evaluation and trial both apps with the child, watching how the child sees the screen, moves their hands, and reaches for meaning. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders notes that assistive communication devices should be matched to the individual, and that matching is exactly what an evaluation does.

A child who reads well may thrive with a word-based TouchChat layout. A child just starting out may connect faster with the guided symbol structure in Proloquo2Go. Neither result reflects a flaw in the other app. Understood.org offers family-friendly background on how AAC works, which can help parents ask better questions during that trial.

What about cost and funding?

Both apps are one-time purchases at the pricier end of the app store, and TouchChat charges separately for certain vocabulary add-ons, so the total can differ depending on what you add. Before paying out of pocket, it is worth asking about funding. Dedicated speech-generating devices are frequently covered as durable medical equipment when a clinician documents medical need, and Medicaid programs and private insurers each set their own rules. Coverage for a plain app installed on a family iPad is less predictable than coverage for a dedicated device, so families should confirm the path before buying.

Where does home practice fit in?

Owning the app is the start, not the finish. A child learns AAC the way anyone learns language: through frequent, low-pressure use woven into ordinary moments. Modeling matters, meaning the adult points to symbols while talking so the child sees the system in action many times a day.

Alongside device modeling, some families add short spoken-word practice to keep expressive skills active between therapy sessions. Voice-first, play-based tools such as the Little Words speech companion give a child brief, cheerful daily speaking practice at home, which can sit beside AAC use rather than compete with it. It is one option among many and works best as a supplement to therapy and to whichever AAC app a team selects, never a replacement for either. The goal is steady, positive practice, not pressure. Whatever tool you use, keep sessions short and playful so communication stays something the child wants to do.

Does using AAC slow down spoken speech?

This worry stops some families from starting. Clinical guidance points the other way: giving a child a reliable way to communicate tends to reduce frustration and can support the growth of spoken language rather than block it. Tracking a child’s communication against the developmental milestones from the CDC and the language milestones published by ASHA helps a team see progress across all channels, spoken and symbol-based alike.

Key takeaways

• Proloquo2Go and TouchChat are both respected AAC apps, and neither wins for every child.
• Proloquo2Go feels guided and quick to start; TouchChat is more customizable with word-based vocabulary options.
• An AAC evaluation with a speech-language pathologist, including a trial of both, beats choosing by brand.
• Dedicated devices are often funded as durable medical equipment; app-only coverage varies, so confirm before buying.
• Daily modeling and short, playful home practice help the app become a real, used voice.

Frequently asked questions

Which app is better, Proloquo2Go or TouchChat?

Neither is universally better. Proloquo2Go is known for a polished symbol-based layout, while TouchChat is flexible and offers word-based options. The right choice depends on the child.

How much do Proloquo2Go and TouchChat cost?

Both are one-time purchases at the higher end for iOS apps, and TouchChat charges extra for some vocabulary add-ons. Prices change, so check current listings and ask about funding first.

Can I get an AAC app covered by insurance or Medicaid?

Sometimes. Dedicated speech-generating devices are often covered as durable medical equipment with clinician documentation. Coverage for a standalone app on a family tablet varies by plan and state.

Should I pick the app before or after an AAC evaluation?

After. A speech-language pathologist can trial more than one app with the child and match features to how the child moves, sees, and communicates.

Will an AAC app stop my child from talking?

No. AAC supports communication and can encourage spoken language rather than replace it. It gives a child a reliable way to be understood while other skills grow.

Sources

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association: Augmentative and Alternative Communication (asha.org)
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: Assistive Devices (nidcd.nih.gov)
• Medicaid.gov: Speech-Generating Devices and Durable Medical Equipment Coverage (medicaid.gov)
• Understood.org: AAC Basics for Families (understood.org)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Developmental Milestones (cdc.gov)