If you're looking for an AAC app for your child, you've almost certainly come across Proloquo2Go. It's been around since 2009, it's recommended by speech therapists worldwide, and it's a powerful tool. It also costs $249.99 — on top of the iPad you need to run it.
We built Tala because we believe every family deserves access to AAC without a $300 barrier. Here's how the two apps compare, honestly.
| Tala | Proloquo2Go | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99/month | $249.99 one-time |
| Free for SLPs | Yes | No |
| Languages | 9 (EN, ES, SV, IT, PT, DE, FR, NO, DA) | English, Spanish, French, Dutch |
| Whole-phrase cards (GLP) | Yes, by design | No |
| Symbol library | Curated, growing | 27,000+ symbols |
| Best for | Beginning communicators, gestalt language processors, families starting out | Advanced communicators, deep customization |
| Platform | iOS | iOS, Mac, Apple Watch |
Proloquo2Go is a $249.99 one-time purchase. Tala is $9.99/month — free for speech-language pathologists and teachers. If you're not sure AAC is right yet, Tala lets you start without financial risk. A full year of Tala costs less than a single month of many subscription apps.
This is where Tala is fundamentally different. Many autistic children learn language by hearing whole phrases, not single words — speech therapists call them gestalt language processors. Tala's cards are full sentences ("I want water", "Can I have a hug") rather than single words. Proloquo2Go focuses on building up from single words. If your child repeats lines from movies or songs, Tala's approach may fit better.
Proloquo2Go supports English, Spanish, French, and Dutch with seamless bilingual switching. Tala supports 9 languages — English, Spanish, Swedish, Italian, Portuguese, German, French, Norwegian, and Danish — all native-speaker reviewed, with one natural voice per language. If your family speaks Swedish, Italian, German, Norwegian, or Danish, Tala is one of very few AAC apps with native support.
Proloquo2Go has over 27,000 symbols with a research-based vocabulary system designed for language growth from single words to complex sentences. Tala has a curated, growing symbol set with high-quality text-to-speech powered by ElevenLabs. Proloquo2Go is more robust for advanced communicators. Tala is designed for beginning communicators who benefit from simplicity over depth.
Choose Proloquo2Go if your child is an advanced communicator, if your SLP specifically recommends Crescendo vocabulary, or if you need French or Dutch with deep customization.
Choose Tala if you want to start AAC affordably, if your child is a gestalt language processor who learns through whole phrases, if your family speaks one of Tala's 9 supported languages, or if you're an SLP looking for a free tool to trial with clients.
The best AAC app is the one your child will actually use every day.