Proloquo Review: AssistiveWare's Newer, Simpler AAC App, and Who It Is Not For

In 2022, AssistiveWare, the company behind Proloquo2Go, released a genuinely new AAC app called Proloquo, and the most important thing to understand about it is not a feature list. It is that AssistiveWare itself has been refreshingly direct in public reviewer responses about exactly who this app is not built for, a level of honesty rare enough in this category that it deserves to be highlighted rather than buried.

Picture a parent who has already read glowing reviews of Proloquo2Go's clinical track record, assuming its newer sibling app must simply be an upgrade, only to discover Proloquo was actually built as a different tool entirely, for a different kind of user, with real trade offs neither app fully solves for the other.

The Story Behind Proloquo

Proloquo2Go has been AssistiveWare's flagship AAC app since 2009, becoming what the company describes as the world's most popular AAC app, built on an adjustable, highly customizable grid designed to accommodate a wide range of accessibility needs including motor and vision disabilities. In 2022, AssistiveWare released Proloquo as a next generation app built on over a decade of research insight, taking a deliberately different design approach: rather than maximizing customization and accessibility flexibility, Proloquo prioritizes consistency, ensuring the same vocabulary layout stays stable across environments and as the user's language skills develop over time.

Platform Clarification

Apple App Store: Search "Proloquo," published by AssistiveWare. The app can be downloaded for free, with subscription options selected in-app.

Google Play Store: Not available. Proloquo is iOS and iPadOS only, with no Android version, no macOS version, and no watchOS version, notably narrower platform support than Proloquo2Go, which extends to Mac and Apple Watch as well.

What Proloquo Actually Does

Proloquo arranges vocabulary in a fixed grid of 60 buttons per page, larger than the standard icons on an iPad's own interface, designed around a research finding that if a user can independently operate apps like YouTube on an iPad, they can generally operate Proloquo without significant additional accommodation. This is a deliberately different philosophy from Proloquo2Go's adjustable 77-button grid, which can be customized down for different accessibility needs, but which AssistiveWare's own research found actually leads to poorer language outcomes when adjusted below their recommended settings, something roughly 80 percent of Proloquo2Go users reportedly do.

Key Features in Full Detail

Crescendo Evolution Vocabulary

Proloquo uses an updated version of AssistiveWare's research based Crescendo vocabulary system, organized to build language skills progressively as a user grows, with consistent word positioning designed to build lasting motor memory.

Fixed 60-Button Grid

Unlike Proloquo2Go's adjustable grid, Proloquo's layout does not change, a deliberate design choice intended to maximize consistency across home, school, and therapy environments rather than customization flexibility.

Unlimited Team Sharing

Proloquo supports sharing vocabulary and progress across an unlimited number of team members, useful for a student whose vocabulary is being actively built and maintained by parents, therapists, and teachers simultaneously.

Proloquo Coach Included Free

An active Proloquo subscription includes free access to Proloquo Coach, a support resource offering regularly updated articles and lessons for families and educators learning to implement AAC effectively, addressing a gap many AAC apps leave entirely to outside therapy relationships.

Free Trial Before Any Payment

Both monthly and yearly subscription options begin with a free trial period, letting families test genuine fit before committing financially.

Pricing — Complete and Honest

Proloquo is free to download, with in-app monthly and yearly subscription options, both beginning with a free trial period. Based on third party pricing summaries available at the time of writing, annual pricing runs in the range of roughly $99.99, notably less than Proloquo2Go's $249.99 one time purchase, though we would recommend confirming exact current pricing directly within the app itself, since AssistiveWare's own subscription pricing pages do not list a fixed public number and pricing can be adjusted over time.

Who Proloquo Is Built For

Users Who Can Independently Operate Standard iPad Apps

AssistiveWare's own guidance is specific here: if a user can already navigate apps like YouTube independently, Proloquo's simpler, fixed grid design is likely to be a good fit.

Families Wanting Built-In Coaching Support

Proloquo Coach's inclusion addresses a real gap for families without easy access to a trained AAC therapist, offering structured guidance directly within the subscription.

Teams Needing Simple, Unlimited Collaboration

The unlimited team sharing feature makes Proloquo a strong fit for students whose vocabulary is actively co-managed by multiple adults across different settings.

Who Should Choose Proloquo2Go Instead

This is the section AssistiveWare itself has been unusually direct about, and we want to reflect that honesty here rather than soften it. In a public response to a reviewer, AssistiveWare stated plainly that Proloquo is not intended for people with vision or motor issues, and that Proloquo2Go is the better choice for those users specifically, because of its greater customization and access options. Additionally, Proloquo currently offers no additional language support beyond English, with AssistiveWare stating they want to perfect the basics of the app before expanding language options, while Proloquo2Go already supports English, French, Dutch, and Spanish across multiple regional variants.

Honest Limitations

No Android version exists, ruling it out entirely for households without an iPad or iPhone.

Not recommended for users with vision or motor disabilities, according to AssistiveWare's own public guidance, a genuinely important distinction from Proloquo2Go's broader accessibility accommodation range.

No language support beyond English currently, a real gap for South Asian families who would need to build any non-English vocabulary manually, and one AssistiveWare has stated is not an immediate priority as they refine the app's core experience first.

Subscription only, with no permanent free tier, unlike some competitors on this site such as Cboard or Spoken's free core tier, meaning ongoing access requires continued payment.

A newer product with less clinical track record than Proloquo2Go's 15-plus years in the field, meaning fewer long-term outcome studies and less accumulated therapist familiarity exist for Proloquo specifically.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Proloquo the same as Proloquo2Go? No. They are two separate apps from AssistiveWare. Proloquo is a newer, simpler, fixed-grid app released in 2022, while Proloquo2Go is the longer established, more customizable app released in 2009.

Is Proloquo available on Android? No, it is iOS and iPadOS only.

How much does Proloquo cost? It is free to download with in-app monthly or yearly subscription options, both starting with a free trial. Confirm current exact pricing within the app.

Is Proloquo suitable for a user with a motor impairment? According to AssistiveWare's own guidance, no. Proloquo2Go is recommended instead for users with vision or motor accessibility needs.

Does Proloquo support languages other than English? Not currently. AssistiveWare has stated additional languages are not an immediate priority while they refine the app's core experience.

What is Proloquo Coach? A support resource included free with an active Proloquo subscription, offering articles and lessons to help families and educators implement AAC effectively.

What This Means for Users in Pakistan and Across Asia

Proloquo's English-only vocabulary and lack of accommodation for vision or motor disabilities make it a narrower fit for many South Asian families compared to Proloquo2Go or the more regionally focused Avaz AAC. Its lower subscription cost relative to Proloquo2Go's $249.99 one time purchase may still make it worth considering for a specific user profile, one who can already independently navigate an iPad and does not require Urdu or another local language, but families should weigh AssistiveWare's own guidance carefully before assuming Proloquo is simply a cheaper version of the same product.

A Closing Thought

There is something genuinely refreshing about a company publicly telling a reviewer, in writing, that their own product is not the right choice for a specific user, and pointing them toward a different product instead, even one they also sell. That kind of honesty is rare in any industry, and it is exactly the standard this entire review series is built around.

Read More on Inclusive Info Hub

👉 Proloquo2Go AAC — our full review of the more customizable, longer established sibling app: Read our full review here → [PROLOQUO2GO LINK]

👉 Avaz AAC — a more regionally relevant AAC option for South Asian families: Read our full review here → [AVAZ LINK]

👉 How to Choose Your Child's First AAC App: A Parent's Checklist — for weighing Proloquo against other options: Read our full guide here → [PARENT CHECKLIST LINK]

👉 10 Top Apps for Individuals with Intellectual Disability — where Proloquo sits in the full picture: Read our complete guide here → [IDD ROUNDUP LINK]