# KO Reader — Fully local Kokoro TTS app

> On-device text-to-speech for articles, ebooks, and PDFs with natural AI voices. (iPhone/iPad app by James Carrell II.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ko-reader/id6761862109 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [James Carrell II](https://appshunter.io/developer/1891816764)
- Category: Books, Utilities
- Price: $3.99
- Rating: 3.70/5 from 3 App Store ratings · 3 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 18.6 · 26 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-04-16
- Data updated: 2026-09-02
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ko-reader/id6761862109/reviews.md

## What is KO Reader?

KO Reader turns web articles, ebooks, and PDFs into natural-sounding speech — entirely on your device. No cloud, no tracking, no subscriptions.
Paste a URL or open an EPUB or PDF, and KO Reader reads it aloud with a neural AI voice. Everything runs locally, so your reading stays private and works anywhere — on the train, on a plane, or off-grid.  Export your favorite articles or books to m4a or m4b files. 

WHAT YOU CAN READ

 • Web articles — Wikipedia, news sites, blogs, and Substack
 • Fanfiction — Archive of Our Own, Royal Road, and Wattpad, with chapter detection
 • EPUB ebooks with full chapter navigation
 • PDF documents
 • Plain text — paste or type any content
 • Safari Share Extension — send articles to KO Reader with one tap

 NATURAL AI VOICES

 • 53 neural voices across 9 languages: American and British English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Mandarin, and Hindi
 • Preview any voice before selecting it
 • Mark favorites for quick access
 • Playback speed from 0.5x to 2.0x
 • Smart heteronym resolution — the voice knows the difference between "lead" (the metal) and "lead" (to guide), "wound" (injury) and "wound" (past of wind)
 • Custom pronunciation dictionary — teach the reader how to say names, jargon, or anything you like

 READ YOUR WAY

 • Reading queue — line up multiple articles and auto-advance
 • Bookmarks — save passages to come back to
 • Reading history — pick up where you left off, across books and articles
 • Chapter pre-generation — book chapters start instantly, no waiting between them
 • Audio export — save generated audio for offline listening
 • Adjustable article font (system, serif, monospaced, rounded) and Dynamic Type support

 BUILT FOR ACCESSIBILITY

 • Full VoiceOver support with labeled controls throughout
 • Haptic feedback on transport controls and sleep timer
 • Background audio — listen while you use other apps or with the screen off
 • Sleep timer — stops playback when you drift off
 • Works with AirPods, Bluetooth speakers, and CarPlay

 RUNS EVERYWHERE

 • Universal app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac
 • macOS keyboard shortcuts (Space to play/pause, Cmd+← and Cmd+→ to skip)
 • Optimized for Apple Silicon with optional CoreML acceleration
 • Adjustable CPU thread count for performance tuning

 PRIVACY FIRST

 • 100% on-device TTS — your content never leaves your phone
 • No accounts, no analytics, no tracking, no ads
 • No internet required after the one-time model download
 • Reading progress stored locally only

 KO Reader downloads a ~350 MB neural voice model on first launch. After that, everything works fully offline.

 Powered by the open-source Kokoro TTS model (Apache 2.0).

## Key features

- On-device text-to-speech
- Supports web articles, EPUB, PDF, and plain text
- 53 neural voices in 9 languages
- Customizable playback speed
- Audio export to m4a/m4b
- Offline functionality
- Privacy-focused, no tracking

## Chart rankings

- #30 in Top Paid · Book (US App Store)

## Recent user reviews (3 of 3)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ko-reader/id6761862109/reviews.md

### 1/5 — no German

*2026-07-20*

Culture lack. Of no use for me to get versions of classic literature.

### 5/5 — Finally!

*2026-05-26*

An inexpensive app without credits or a subscription that allows me to process epubs into audio on my own device with voices that sound good enough to listen to. 

I have been looking for so long. 

Thank you!

### 5/5 — Great app

*2026-04-17*

Really useful app that does what it says. Thanks for making this!

## Frequently asked questions about KO Reader

### What content can KO Reader read aloud?

KO Reader can read web articles from sites like Wikipedia and news outlets, fanfiction from platforms like Archive of Our Own, EPUB ebooks with chapter navigation, PDF documents, and plain text. It also features a Safari Share Extension for easy content import.

### How many voices and languages does KO Reader offer?

KO Reader provides 53 neural voices across 9 languages, including American and British English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Mandarin, and Hindi. Users can preview voices before selecting them.

### Does KO Reader require an internet connection to work?

After the initial download of the approximately 350 MB neural voice model, KO Reader functions entirely offline. This means you can listen to your content on trains, planes, or in any location without internet access.

### Can I export the audio from KO Reader?

Yes, KO Reader allows you to export generated audio from your articles or books into m4a or m4b files. This feature enables offline listening without needing the app open.

### Is KO Reader suitable for users with visual impairments?

KO Reader is built with accessibility in mind, offering full VoiceOver support with labeled controls. It also includes haptic feedback on transport controls and a sleep timer, making it a valuable tool for visually impaired users.

### What is the price of KO Reader?

KO Reader is a paid application priced at $3.99. This one-time purchase grants access to all its features without any subscriptions or in-app purchases.

### Does KO Reader have ads?

No, KO Reader is completely ad-free. The app emphasizes privacy and does not include advertisements, ensuring an uninterrupted listening experience.

### On which devices can I use KO Reader?

KO Reader is a universal app available for iPhone and iPad. It is also optimized for Mac, offering keyboard shortcuts for a seamless experience across Apple devices.

## Version history (last 1 release)

### 1.0 — 2026-04-16

No release notes.

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-02.*