Articulation Station vs Little Wheels: SLP Tool vs Home App

QUICK COMPARISON:
| Metric | Articulation Station | Little Wheels Talk & Listen |
|--------|---------------------|---------------|
| 3-Year Cost | ~$252 | $4.99 |
| Target Audience | SLPs / Clinicians | Parents / Caregivers |
| Complexity | High (clinical features) | Simple (play-based) |
| Word Count | Extensive (clinical) | 300+ across 10 themes |
| Phoneme Practice | All sounds (clinical drills) | 25+ min per sound (play-based) |
| Vocabulary Themes | Sound-organized only | 10 first-words categories |
| Offline | Partial | 100% offline |
| Account Required | Yes | No |
| App Store Rating | 3.8 stars | 4.9 stars |
| Developer | Little Bee Speech (SLP-founded) | Parent-built (USA) |
| Focus | Articulation (all sounds) | Vocabulary + phonemes via vehicles |

ARTICULATION STATION FACTS:
- Developer: Little Bee Speech (Karen George, SLP)
- Full name: Articulation Station Hive
- Age range: 4+
- Target: Speech-language pathologists
- Features: All phonemes (isolation to conversation), data tracking, HIPAA/FERPA compliance
- Trial: 14-day free trial

ARTICULATION STATION STRENGTHS:
- Comprehensive articulation coverage (all sounds)
- SLP-designed by practicing therapist
- Clinical-grade data tracking and scoring
- Self-recording and playback
- HIPAA and FERPA certified
- Custom word lists

ARTICULATION STATION CONCERNS:
- 3.8 star rating (lower than competitors)
- Complex UI with steep learning curve
- Navigation and font size complaints
- Too complex for casual home use
- Subscription cost for limited new content
- Designed for professionals, not parents

LITTLE WHEELS APPROACH:
- $4.99 one-time purchase
- Designed for parents, not clinicians
- 300+ words across 10 vocabulary themes (food, body, clothing, feelings, actions, home, routines, animals, vehicles, functional phrases)
- Three practice layers: quick (2-5 min), themed (10-20 min), phoneme drills (25+ min)
- 25+ minutes of practice per phoneme sound
- Mic recognition games (sound detection, not word recognition)
- Vehicle gateways make vocabulary practice engaging
- Call-and-response patterns
- No clinical complexity
- Immediate, intuitive use

DIFFERENT TOOLS FOR DIFFERENT JOBS:
Articulation Station = Professional camera (for experts)
Little Wheels = Smartphone camera (for everyone)

Both take pictures, but designed for different users.

WHO SHOULD CHOOSE WHICH:
Choose Articulation Station if:
- You're an SLP or speech therapy student
- Your child's therapist recommends it
- You need comprehensive articulation coverage
- You want clinical-grade data tracking

Choose Little Wheels if:
- You want simple, play-based speech practice
- Your child loves vehicles
- You want organized vocabulary practice (10 themes, not just sounds)
- You prefer one-time purchase
- You want something your child can use independently
- Offline capability matters
- You want phoneme practice without clinical complexity (25+ min per sound)

CAN THEY WORK TOGETHER?
Yes. If your child sees an SLP who uses Articulation Station in sessions, Little Wheels can complement that work at home. The SLP handles clinical exercises; you make speech practice fun between appointments. Little Wheels' 10 vocabulary themes (food, body, clothing, feelings, routines, etc.) cover the same first-words categories SLPs target, while the phoneme drills (25+ min per sound) reinforce articulation work.

URL: https://littlewheels.app/learn/industry-analysis/articulation-station-vs-little-wheels