5 Best Visual Support Tools, Ranked

LessonPix is where we'd start when one practitioner needs to make printable learning materials without a large software budget. Its membership lets you combine symbols and templates into custom materials, and the public pricing page lists $36 per user per year. That relatively small annual commitment is the main reason it leads our comparison of tools for a new individual user.

The pricing article is older, so confirm the current checkout amount and the permissions for sharing what you make. We haven't tested the editor or printing. Widgit is another option for a browser-based template system, while a school that already uses Boardmaker may get more value from keeping its existing materials consistent. The right symbols for a person matter more than saving a small amount on a separate subscription.

Widgit Online is attractive when you want to create symbol-supported materials in a browser and export them as PDFs. Editable templates can provide a starting point for work you expect to revise and reuse. We put it ahead of Boardmaker for a new user whose main job is making printable materials, while LessonPix keeps the lead on the published individual price.

The plan distinction matters. The reviewed UK prices list Home at £9 a month and Basic at £14, with Basic supporting up to four users. Home is for personal use at home, not school or business work. Check your region and current terms, especially because the FAQ announces changes from October 2026. We haven't tested the authoring tools; try making and revising a familiar piece of material before paying for wider team access.

Boardmaker is especially worth considering if your team already has materials made with it. Keeping an existing set of activities usable can matter more than finding the cheapest new editor. The vendor offers Standard and subscription purchase routes, and its Personal edition information describes creating, assigning, playing and printing activities. That wider activity use gives it a place ahead of the free desktop alternatives below.

We keep it third for someone starting from scratch because the edition choices make the purchase more involved. Confirm device support, student access and renewal terms for the exact version; an older comparison chart may describe a different offer. LessonPix or Widgit may be sufficient if all you need is printable material. We haven't tested the current editions or measured how easily colleagues can share and revise activities.

Picto-Selector is a useful free option for making visual schedules on a desktop. You can build pictogram sheets, add your own photographs, change the layout and produce a PDF or image. That focused set of tasks earns it fourth place, ahead of AraWord when the main need is a schedule or sheet rather than adapting written text.

The tradeoff is having more to check for yourself. The site describes Windows use and an Intel Mac download, so confirm compatibility with your device. It also doesn't own every included symbol: commercial reuse requires checking the relevant owner's permission. A free application isn't an unrestricted license to publish all its images. The subscription tools above may be easier to evaluate for a professional team, but we haven't tested installation or editing speed.

AraWord is useful for a more specific task than most of the tools above: creating text and pictograms together. ARASAAC describes a freely distributed word processor with tools for changing images and adapting written material. If you're trying to make an existing piece of writing easier to follow visually, it deserves a look even though it's fifth in our broader materials ranking.

Picto-Selector is a more direct comparison for schedule sheets, and Widgit is worth exploring if you want browser-based templates. For AraWord, check current installation compatibility and the rights attached to the symbols you use. Review the images it selects and adjust them for the intended reader; automatic choices won't necessarily convey the meaning you want. We haven't tested symbol comprehension or whether the tool suits an individual's communication needs.