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Bookshare Reader

Bookshare Reader

Read and listen to books

67 ratings
55 reviews
📚 Education
📚 Books
Free

Details

  • Released
  • Updated
  • January 5, 2023
  • August 11, 2026

Features

Developer

Benetech
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Bookshare Reader screenshot #1 for iPhone
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iphone
ipad
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About

Access a vast library of ebooks designed for individuals with reading barriers. Enjoy high-quality audio narration and customize your reading experience with adjustable fonts, colors, and speeds. Continue reading seamlessly from where you left off.

✓Access millions of ebooks
✓High-quality audio narration
✓Customizable reading experience
✓Adjustable font size and colors
✓Follow along with highlighted text
✓Offline reading
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What's New in Bookshare Reader

1.41.0

August 11, 2026

• The view now follows the highlighted sentence while in app TTS plays by default. • New Auto-Scroll With Narration control in audio settings to turn it off; a two-finger tap brings you back to the highlight. • Stability and reliability across the reader, natural voices, and your library.

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User reviews

Most RecentHighest RatedLowest Rated

Amazing for dyslexic people

The interface is great and this app helped me read all of my college textbooks. I’m so happy about the new voices for text to speech- they sound super realistic which is something that was lacking before. Also it’s nice to be able to download free books and read them offline too
JaydenhayyyJaydenhayyy

Response from developer

We're thrilled the app has helped you read your college textbooks and glad the new voices are landing well; a lot of work went into making them sound more natural and we're continuing to improve them. Enjoy the offline reading, and thanks for taking the time to share this!

Recent update added problems

Use previous versions of Bookshare reader. Recent update added prolonged pause at the end of each sentence. Even if the words are sped up, there’s a one second pause between paragraphs, sentences, and any page breaks. Attempted to navigate fixing it, and it is not fixable at this point. I will only be using website until next update. Hopefully it improves.
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Jen-chanJen-chan

Response from developer

Thank you for flagging this. The pausing issue should be fixed now (available in our latest update). We'd love for you to give the mobile app another try and let us know if read-aloud is working better for you now. If you run into any more issues, our team at mobilereader@benetech.org actively reviews and responds to all incoming feedback. Reach out any time.

Amazing app but it has a bit of a bug that makes it difficult to use

I have been a user of bookshare since I was in 7th grade on the old read to go app and now as an adult on an individual membership. It’s the best thing to happen for blind people so that we can access books and information. However, there appears to be a new emerging bug. My library is not syncing across my devices. When I download a book on my ipad to read, it doesn’t download on my phone which is logged into the same account, I have to go manually go download it on my phone too. Reading lists also don’t sync. If I start reading a book on one device, I can’t pick up on another later, it also doesn’t save progress. I don’t know if I’m being unreasonable, but I feel like books should sync across devices and your most recent position in them should sync across devices. I had managed to keep syncing the read to go app to all my new devices until a couple of months ago via the icloud transfer, yes it survived until 2026, but it finally quit and I have to use the new bookshare version now. Book syncing across devices was never an issue on the old read to go app, even when I was on IOS 18 using an app intended for IOS 9. Lol. If you can get this syncing issue fixed on the bookshare reader app I will switch my review to five stars. Thanks.
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IfupfpjcpydosIfupfpjcpydos

Response from developer

Thank you for taking the time to write this out in detail and for being with Bookshare from the start! Good news on two of the three areas you've mentioned: your reading lists and your reading position do sync across devices today. Reading lists: if a list isn't showing up on a second device, the screen is likely showing cached data. With VoiceOver on, a three-finger swipe down on the screen will refresh it and pull in the latest version of your reading lists. Reading position: this is saved to your account, not the device. If you read to page 50 on your iPad, download that same book on your iPhone and select "Read Now", and it will open at page 50. Downloading a book on each device is expected behavior today and enables you to read whether or not you have a stable internet connection. That said, we absolutely hear you, and we've heard the same request from other readers. So no you're not being unreasonable at all! We're actively exploring offering both (download-to-read-offline and streaming) so you can pick whichever works best for you. Thank you for all of these questions and feedback. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us at mobilereader@bookshare.org if there are more areas you'd like to discuss. We aim to earn those additional stars from you, so please keep in touch!

Help

I like this app and use it a lot but after the most recent update it won’t work I opened a manga (I thing I spelled that wrong) and I can not go to the next page it is stuck on the copy right please fix
BoookcattBoookcatt

Bookshare has made significant improvements

In 2025 I would have described the Bookshare app as below expectations for an eReader app. In 2026 we’ve seen lots of improvements such as synced reading lists and so many other quality of life improvements that make the app easier to use. Creating accessible tech is hard and the Bookshare team is doing a good job addressing community concerns. As a blind person my mobile devices are my go-to in part because the screen reader and controls are easier to use, so the mobile version of platforms like Bookshare working as expected is expected. Already looking forward to half two of this year and what will come next.
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ThehonkinggooseThehonkinggoose

Response from developer

Thank you for your support and stay tuned for new features and updates coming soon.

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FAQ

What is Bookshare Reader?

Bookshare Reader is the official application that provides access to Bookshare's extensive library of ebooks. It is specifically designed for individuals with reading barriers, offering features like high-quality audio narration and customizable reading settings.

What are the key features of Bookshare Reader?

Key features include access to millions of ebooks, high-quality audio listening, adjustable reading speed, font size, and colors, highlighted text for following along, chapter navigation, and the ability to download books for offline reading.

Is Bookshare Reader free to use?

The Bookshare Reader app itself is free to download and use. However, to access the ebooks within the Bookshare library, users must have a Bookshare membership. More information about membership can be found on the Bookshare website.

Who is the target audience for Bookshare Reader?

This app is designed for individuals who experience reading barriers due to conditions such as dyslexia, blindness, low vision, or physical disabilities. It aims to provide an accessible and personalized reading experience for these users.

Can I read books offline with Bookshare Reader?

Yes, you can download books from the Bookshare library and read them offline using the Bookshare Reader app. This feature allows you to access your reading material even without an internet connection.