Avaz

Avaz is a picture and text-based AAC app for people with complex communication needs to express themselves and learn. Its category-based vocabulary comes in three grades of core vocabulary, with consistent layouts and motor patterns across the grades. Keyboard prediction can correct spelling and show suggestions after a configurable delay. Users can add words, personalize pictures and adjust settings with the Settings Wizard. The Activity Dashboard and Communication Adventures offer caregivers activity ideas, strategies and modeling training, while Avaz Analytics presents communication development in graphs and charts for therapists. Dropbox can back up and sync vocabulary across devices, and users can import or export pages to share with other Avaz users. Avaz supports speech output and touch, switch and eye-gaze access on iOS and Android, in multiple languages. The Avaz AAC – English plan is $149.99, paid once and includes a free 2-week trial; Avaz AAC – Sri Lanka is $44.99, paid once with a free 2-week trial. Avaz also offers FreeSpeech for English grammar practice and Reader for reading support.

Avaz combines customizable AAC vocabulary with caregiver resources and therapist-facing progress charts. Consider its platform support, access methods and listed plan options when deciding whether it fits the communicator’s needs.

Avaz suits communicators who use picture or text-based AAC, and caregivers or therapists supporting communication development. Its listed access methods include touch, switch and eye gaze.

Avaz is a picture-and-text AAC app for people with complex communication needs who need speech output and a vocabulary that can grow with them. It suits communicators, families and therapists who value extensive customization and structured progress support. The main decision points are its one-time license cost, two-week trial and dependence on iOS or Android.

Overview

Avaz uses a hybrid symbol system, combining pictures and text with spoken output. Its category-based vocabulary is arranged in three grades of core vocabulary, while consistent layouts and motor patterns keep navigation familiar as a communicator advances. That staged structure is useful for ongoing learning, although users seeking a permanently free communicator will need to look elsewhere.

Customization is unusually broad. Users can add words, personalize pictures and adjust settings through the Settings Wizard, and the layout is fully customizable. Keyboard prediction can correct spelling errors and can be configured to delay suggestions, which helps users who benefit from writing support without constant on-screen prompts.

Dropbox linking provides backup and cross-device vocabulary synchronization, and pages can be imported or exported for sharing with other Avaz users. These tools reduce the risk of losing a carefully built vocabulary and make transfers between setups more practical, but they add a Dropbox dependency for synchronization.

Key features

The Activity Dashboard and Communication Adventures extend Avaz beyond direct conversation. They provide caregivers with activity ideas, communication strategies and modeling training, giving families concrete ways to reinforce use rather than relying only on the app during requests.

Avaz Analytics turns communication development into graphs and charts for therapists. That makes the app a stronger fit for users whose support team needs visible progress information, though the analytics are aimed at professional review rather than casual reporting.

Access supports touch, switches and eye gaze, broadening suitability for people with different motor abilities. Avaz says the app is offered in multiple languages on iOS and Android. Its related FreeSpeech product focuses on English grammar through picture-tile sentence building, while Reader provides reading hints for learners including children with dyslexia and first-generation English speakers; those are separate products rather than extra Avaz modes.

Pricing

Avaz has no ongoing free plan, but every listed Avaz AAC plan includes a free two-week trial. Avaz AAC – English costs $149.99 once and is intended for English-speaking communicators. That permanent license avoids recurring subscription payments, but the upfront price makes it a commitment for families still evaluating AAC options.

Avaz AAC – Sri Lanka costs $44.99 once and includes Sinhala and Tamil support. It is the more appropriate paid choice for communicators using those languages, while it would not replace the English plan for an English-speaking user. Avaz FreeSpeech is shown at no cost with a two-week trial and school volume discounts by quote; it is an English grammar-learning product, not the full AAC communicator.

Platforms

Avaz supports iOS and Android, with touch, switch and eye-gaze access. A household or service using another operating system will need a different solution, and cross-device syncing is tied to Dropbox rather than a broader platform range.

Who it's for

Avaz is a strong match for people with complex communication needs who require picture-and-text communication, speech output and a vocabulary that can be progressively expanded. It is particularly well suited to families working with caregivers and therapists: caregiver guidance, modeling resources and therapist-facing charts are built into the wider experience. It is less suitable for someone who needs a free long-term plan, a non-mobile platform or a low upfront purchase.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Three vocabulary grades with stable motor patterns: supports progression without forcing a completely new layout.
• Fully customizable setup: words, pictures and settings can be adapted through the Settings Wizard.
• Broad access options: touch, switch and eye-gaze input accommodate different physical access needs.
• Support for communication teams: caregiver activities and therapist charts connect daily use with guided development.
• One-time AAC licenses: English and Sri Lanka plans do not require a recurring subscription.

Cons

• No continuing free AAC tier: after the 14-day trial, users must buy a license.
• High English upfront cost: $149.99 once is a significant commitment before long-term suitability is proven.
• Limited platform scope: support is confined to iOS and Android.
• Privacy caution: the policy advises against storing anyone's health or medical information in the products.

Alternatives

Jellow is the better starting point when a free AAC communicator and broader platform coverage, including web and Windows, matter more than Avaz's paid vocabulary structure.

Weave Chat AAC fits users seeking a free iOS or Android app, with optional board hosting at $4 a month.

Asterics AAC is a free, wide-platform option spanning mobile, desktop, web and self-hosting.

Cboard suits users who want a freemium communicator with online neural voices, board sharing and usage analytics.

Fast AAC is preferable when a free download and $12.99 one-time premium upgrade are a better fit than Avaz's higher license price.

Flexspeak AAC offers a free evaluator license and web access for professional assessment workflows.

Sayella is an iOS-only freemium alternative with a free single-child, single-device tier.

Speech Assistant AAC is a lower-cost option with a free Android basic version and a $9.99 one-time full upgrade.

Verdict

Choose Avaz if a communicator needs a customizable picture-and-text AAC system with speech, multiple access methods, caregiver coaching and therapist-oriented progress charts. Its durable one-time licenses and structured vocabulary are compelling for teams committed to the platform. Look elsewhere if the budget requires a permanent free plan, the user needs desktop or web support, or a $149.99 English purchase is too large a first step.