Ever heard the phrase, “There’s an app for that”? That’s true for apps for Deaf people as well.

Here, we share 12 of the best apps for Deaf people. This includes a video chat app for the Deaf, communication and alarm clock apps, as well as apps to help hearing people communicate in — and learn — sign language. Many are great for hard-of-hearing individuals too. (For other hearing loss apps, including captioning apps, read The Best Hearing Loss Apps of 2025.)

Included here:

ntouch | Sorenson VRS for Zoom | Hand Talk | Cardzilla | Make It Big (iOS) | Make it Big (Android) | Marco Polo |  Ava | Microsoft Translator | ASL Dictionary | Lingvano | Sorenson Wavello

1. ntouch® by Sorenson

Cost: $0

If you’re Deaf or hard-of-hearing and use sign language to communicate, you can register for VRS from Sorenson and use ntouch on your mobile phone. Federal funding covers the cost of the service, which is available only to qualified individuals.

While videophones are great solutions for at-home use, the world is increasingly mobile today.

ntouch solves that by turning your smartphone or laptop into a videophone, so you can make video relay calls anytime, anywhere.

All you need to make calls at home, work, school, or on the go is a Sorenson VRS account and smartphone, videophone, or computer. You can even make 911 calls in ASL. Every call is encrypted, so your privacy is protected.

Rating from Google Play

4.4 out of 5 stars

Rating from Apple App Store

4.1 out of 5 stars

Download ntouch for your phone or desktop

2. Sorenson VRS for Zoom

Cost: $0

If you’re Deaf or hard-of-hearing and use sign language to communicate, you can register for a no-cost VRS account with Sorenson.

Sorenson VRS for Zoom makes it easier than ever for a Deaf individual to attend a Zoom meeting and communicate in a group conversation with people who don’t know ASL.

Sorenson VRS for Zoom is not a traditional smartphone app. There are two ways to access it:

1. Download the app in Zoom via the Zoom Marketplace on a desktop running MacOS or Windows. It requires that the host have a Sorenson VRS account and a paid Zoom account.
2. Use the web app on any device that can access the internet and has a browser, such as a smartphone.

Both options let you dial in to Sorenson VRS directly through Zoom when the meeting is hosted on a paid account.

Note that Sorenson VRS for Zoom cannot be used for webinars.

Learn more about Sorenson VRS for Zoom and/or the web app.

3. Hand Talk Translator

Cost: $0 with ads; in-app purchases available

Originally built to translate between Portuguese and Brazilian Sign Language (Libras), Hand Talk Translator is now expanding into American Sign Language (ASL) with a beta version. It can automatically translate text and audio into a 3D avatar signing in ASL.

Because the ASL version is still in beta, the translations aren’t always perfect — for example, some words may be fingerspelled more often than signed. The app is actively improving, and user feedback is helping shape its growth.

Hand Talk can be a handy option for quick, basic communication when no interpreter is available. In some situations, it can also work as an alternative to a captioning app. It’s also a creative tool for anyone learning sign language, or for mixed Deaf-hearing households looking for another way to connect.

Rating from Google Play

3.6 out of 5 stars

Rating from Apple App Store

3.8 out of 5 stars

Install from Google Play Store

Download from App Store

4. Cardzilla

Cost: $0

Cardzilla by Tim Kettering for iOS or Randall Noriega for Android lets you easily convert messages into large text. No scrolling needed — your words resize automatically to fill the screen as you type. The app also saves your messages, and you can clear them with a simple shake. Navigation is easy with quick swipes.

Cardzilla supports Dark Mode, lets you customize colors, and even works with an attached keyboard. Best of all, the app is Deaf-owned and designed.

A Sorenson staffer shared, “I use Cardzilla more frequently for conversations than Make it Big. It’s more convenient in that I can shake off text and keep typing. It makes for a more dynamic conversation.”

Rating from Google Play

4 out of 5 stars

Rating from Apple App Store

4.6 out of 5 stars

Install from Google Play Store

Download from App Store

5. Make It Big for iPhone

Cost: $0

Make It Big by An Trinh turns typed text into large words that fill the entire screen. If you’re Deaf and need to talk with someone who doesn’t know ASL, you can type your message and show it to them without handing over your phone. They can also type back, making it easy to have a two-way conversation.

The app works in portrait and landscape mode. If you shake your phone, the background color and text change to create a flashing effect — perfect for when you need to get someone’s attention.

You can also customize the app with options like font size, text and background colors, flash on/off, and flash speed.

Rating from Apple App Store