What is SpeakAnyWay?
SpeakAnyWay is a modern AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) app for the real world. It runs in any web browser — phone, tablet, laptop, school Chromebook — and there's an iOS app on the App Store if you want a home-screen icon on an iPhone or iPad. It works for kids, teens, and adults who use pictures and a voice to talk.
It was built by a mom of two autistic boys who wanted something simpler than the existing AAC apps. No five-figure devices. No hour-long onboarding. No "you have to come back to the clinic to add a word." Just a board, a voice, a tap.
What you can do with it
- Generate AAC boards from a simple prompt ("favorite breakfast foods," "feelings I have at school"). The board is ready to use in seconds.
- Edit boards to match how your communicator actually talks — swap pictures for real photos, change words, add cells.
- Pick a voice that fits — every plan gets the full voice library, with natural-sounding adult, child, and accented options.
- Share a board or page with a link or a QR code. Grandparents, the school SLP, the substitute teacher — anyone can use it without installing anything.
- Track usage so you can see which words your communicator reaches for most.
Who it's for
- Parents and caregivers of someone who uses (or might use) AAC. You can set up the whole thing yourself in an afternoon.
- SLPs and educators who want to plan boards for clients or students and hand them off when the family is ready.
- Adults using AAC themselves — set up your own communicator, pick a voice, build the boards you actually need.
How it's different
A few things that surprise people coming from older AAC tools:
- Works on any device. Runs in any browser — iPad, Android phone, school laptop, borrowed kiosk — and there's an iOS app for iPhone and iPad if you want a dedicated app icon. An Android app is in the works. See Download the app & use Guided Access.
- MySpeak pages are free. A shareable, no-login page for your communicator is included on every plan, including the free one.
- You don't need to "build the whole vocabulary" before starting. Generate one board for one situation today. Add more when you need them. The "you can stop here if that's enough today" approach is real, not marketing.
- Communicators are separate accounts. Your communicator's boards, voice, and history stay theirs — separate from yours. See What is a communicator? for why this matters.
What it isn't
- It isn't a speech therapist. SpeakAnyWay is a tool. It pairs well with an SLP; it doesn't replace one.
- It isn't a medical device. It's a communication app. We're not part of the durable-medical-equipment funding system — most families just sign up directly.
- It doesn't lock your vocabulary in. Whatever boards you build are yours. Export them, print them, take them somewhere else if you ever want to.
Where to go next
- Want a working board in 60 seconds? Make your first board.
- Want to share with grandparents today? Start with MySpeak.
- Setting up for your child? Set up your first communicator.
- Want the iPad app + Guided Access? Download the app.
Common questions
- Is it free? Yes, there's a free plan with one communicator, one board, MySpeak, and the basic voice set. Paid plans add more communicators, unlimited boards, the full voice library, and SLP/educator features.
- Do I have to install an app? No. The browser version at app.speakanyway.com works on any device. The iOS app is a nice option for iPhone and iPad, but it's not required.
- Does it work offline? Not yet. SpeakAnyWay needs an internet connection to load boards and speak. Offline mode is on the roadmap.
- What languages does it support? English is fully supported. Spanish is mostly there — the voice library already includes Spanish TTS, and the UI is rolling out (a few areas still default to English while we finish translation).
- Can I export my data if I leave? Yes. Boards can be exported as PDFs for printing.
Was this helpful?