Shakespeare

Shakespeare

The #1 Shakespeare App

3.3K ratings
306 reviews
Free
In-App Purchases

Details

  • Released
  • Updated
  • February 11, 2019
  • May 13, 2025

Features

Shakespeare screenshot #1 for iPhone
Shakespeare screenshot #2 for iPhone
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About

Access the complete works of Shakespeare, including plays, sonnets, and poems. Features include a powerful search, integrated glossary, note-taking, and customization options for a rich reading experience.

Complete works of Shakespeare
Powerful search and concordance
Integrated glossary with definitions
Add and share personal notes
Customizable reading experience
Scene breakdowns and character descriptions
Modern translations and lexicons
Show original description

What users say

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What's New in Shakespeare

9.4.4

May 13, 2025

We fixed a few small bugs and small improvements to make your Shakespearean life a little better. :) Did you catch the recent update? We made the historical editions (folios, quartos, octavos) the main focus, including: • NEW! Scroll sync: when using compare view to compare two editions, enabling sync now keeps the two views in sync to make comparing lines easier • NEW! Scene markers: most historical editions don't have act/scene divisions, but they now have markers where modern act/scene divisions are to help you navigate • NEW! Updated scene menu: historical editions now have full act/scene list for navigation (see the Help section to understand the format) • NEW! Compare view is now available on iPhone Pro Max (previously only available on iPad) • NEW! Characters are now categorized by major, supporting, etc. • Improved Mac experience • Improved overall legibility of the historical editions • Improvements to the Help section • Improvements to accessibility • Search optimizations for complex queries, new search scenes • Improved TEI compatibility • Small usability improvements and some bug squashing We've compiled some historical milestones for those interested: • October 2007: The Web version was created for the original iPhone which provided the complete works. • July 2008: Shakespeare 1.0 went live, one of only 500 apps on the Apple App Store when it launched. There are over 1.8 million apps available today. • December 2009: Shakespeare Pro features were introduced, including a glossary and advanced search. • April 2010: Shakespeare hits 1 million downloads. • July 2016: Shakespeare Pro for Mac 1.0 released. • May 2023: Shakespeare and Shakespeare Pro apps pass 30 million downloads. • December 2024: We released Shakespeare 9.3.1, our final update in 2024 and the 105th update to the app since 2008. • January 1, 2025: To date, we've supported 46 different models (16 generations) of the iPhone, 30 different models (10 generations) of the iPad, and 2

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In-App Purchases

$12.99

Upgrade to Shakespeare Pro

Get a glossary, search, line numbers & more

User reviews

Let Us Not Doubt Shakespeare

How doth one such app that deliver content that Nature herself honors with amazement ever be denied five-stars?

Fantastic - well presented and the very best

See above

Love this App

I just love using this App. This is a great App for anyone who is as passionate about Shakespeare's works as me must have this installed in all their devices. Highly recommend this App.

Bard bestow’d brilliantly.

Absolutely phenomenal app. Beautiful design with intuitive navigation. Cannot imagine Shakespeare’s works presented in a more accessible fashion. Great resource to arguably the most important masterpiece in English literature. To install or not to install should be no question.

An indispensable resource for the Shakespeare reader.

Very useful and comprehensive app for the Shakespeare reader. I like to read Shakespeare “ neat” in my old Collins Alexander text edition without distracting footnotes and impertinent editors constantly nipping at the Bards heals. But every Shakespeare reader needs a little help with Elizabethan vocabulary and words that have changed meaning. This app, with the additional lexicons, allows one to do that quickly and easily without having to open multiple books to trace meanings. Just keep your smart phone by your side when reading to check the occasional difficult word. The synopsis sections are also useful for keeping track of the action. An indispensable aid for lovers of the worlds greatest writer.
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Developer apps

User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

3 issues

Crashes on launch or opening plays

Bug

Scrolling and UI issues

Bug

Incompatible with latest iOS versions

Bug

Requested Features

5 requests

Add modern translations

Feature

Include line numbers

Feature

Improve search and navigation

Feature

Add more content like sonnets

Feature

Sync purchases across devices

Feature

FAQ

What does the Shakespeare Pro app offer?

This app provides the complete works of William Shakespeare, including 41 plays, 154 sonnets, and 6 poems. It features a powerful search function, an integrated glossary based on David & Ben Crystal's 'Shakespeare's Words', the ability to add and share notes, and customizable reading options.

What are the key features for studying Shakespeare?

Key features include access to First Folios and Quartos in original spelling, an integrated glossary with contextual definitions, detailed scene breakdowns, character descriptions, and modern translations. You can also add your own notes, organize them into notebooks, and share them.

How much does the Shakespeare Pro app cost?

The app is free to download and use, but it offers in-app purchases for additional content such as modern translations and lexicons. This allows users to enhance their understanding of Elizabethan English.

Can I customize my reading experience?

Yes, the app allows for extensive customization. You can choose from various color themes, change the font family and size, display long or short character names, jump between scenes, and view line numbers. You can also bookmark favorite parts and copy/paste text.

Who is this app designed for?

This app is ideal for students, teachers, actors, writers, and anyone interested in deeply exploring Shakespeare's plays and poetry. Its comprehensive features and study tools cater to both casual readers and serious scholars.