# Snapshelf: Scan & Read Aloud — Offline OCR & text to speech > Scan, convert, translate, and listen to text from documents and books. (iPhone/iPad app by Ting Tze Chuen.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/snapshelf-scan-and-read-aloud/id1477627350 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Ting Tze Chuen](https://appshunter.io/developer/654138164) - Category: Productivity, Education - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 4.30/5 from 33 App Store ratings · 3 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 26.0 · 18 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2019-09-20 - Data updated: 2026-09-09 - Monetization: freemium - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/snapshelf-scan-and-read-aloud/id1477627350/reviews.md ## What is Snapshelf? Point your camera at a printed page and Snapshelf turns it into text you can listen to, translate, organise and search. A book, a letter, a handout, a label, a PDF — capture it once and hear it whenever you like. Everything happens on your iPhone. There is no Snapshelf server, no Snapshelf account, and nothing you scan is ever uploaded. Most scanning apps send your document away to be read. Snapshelf has nowhere to send it. SCAN • Reads printed text in around 25 languages, following the languages your iPhone is set to • Capture with the camera, or import from Photos or a PDF • Recognition runs on the device, so it works with no connection at all • Scans are stored compactly, so a large library stays small on your phone and in iCloud LISTEN • Every voice installed on your iPhone, including Apple's Premium and Enhanced voices • Lock Screen and Dynamic Island playback with a progress scrubber • Skip fifteen seconds either way, and change the playback speed • Handles calls, Siri and headphones being unplugged properly • Opening Snapshelf no longer stops the music you were already playing TRANSLATE • 21 languages using Apple's on-device Translation framework • Download a language once and translation works offline afterwards • Your text is never transmitted to a translation service ORGANISE • Playlists and hashtags • Search across everything you have ever scanned • Share a snippet's text and the original scan through the standard share sheet • Dark mode throughout, or follow your system setting SYNC • Snippets, playlists and translations follow you between iPhone and iPad • Through your own private iCloud account, not ours PRIVACY Your scans, the images behind them and the recognised text stay on your device and, if you enable sync, in your own iCloud. We collect crash reports and a small number of anonymous product-interaction events, which contain nothing you scanned. There is no advertising identifier and no tracking. FREE AND PRO Snapshelf is free to download, and everything is unlimited for your first week. After that, the free tier keeps unlimited scanning in every language it reads, as many snippets and playlists as you like, full search and sharing, and every voice on your phone. It also includes ten snippets listened to and ten translated each week, on a rolling seven-day allowance — so there is always some waiting for you when you come back. Snapshelf Pro removes both weekly limits and adds iCloud sync across your devices. It is available as a monthly or yearly subscription, or as a one-time lifetime purchase that never renews and is shareable with up to six family members. Current prices are shown in the app before you buy. Subscriptions are billed through your Apple Account and renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can cancel any time in Settings ▸ Apple Account ▸ Subscriptions. Requires iOS 26. Runs on iPhone and iPad. Terms of Use: https://snapshelf.app/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://snapshelf.app/privacy/ Questions and feedback: hello@snapshelf.app ## Key features - Scan documents and books - Convert images to editable text - Translate into 60+ languages - Listen to text as audiobooks - Organize content into playlists - Sync across devices (Pro) ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Snapshelf Pro Monthly | $0.99 | per month | | Snapshelf Pro Yearly | $9.99 | per year | ## Recent user reviews (3 of 3) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/snapshelf-scan-and-read-aloud/id1477627350/reviews.md ### 2/5 — Too many interruptions! *2021-08-23* Unfortunately, when you’re in the middle of scanning or creating a playlist the app closes each time. You have to start over and try to figure out where you left off! Unfortunately you cannot scan and make a playlist at the same time you have to scan your item 1st then create playlist there’s no shortcut so you got to figure out how to create a playlist by adding pictures from camera. It’s too time-consuming especially when you are a college student and you have a lot of material to cover. Once you have everything scanned and added to your playlist it works really well otherwise. **Developer response:** Hi there, do you mind sending us an email at hello@snapshelf.app so we can help you out? Thanks! ### 5/5 — Amazing! *2021-05-07* This app works super quick and is super helpful! I 100% recommend it! The translator worked really quick and accurate (from what I could tell) and the scan documents even worked on my handwritten document! 😄 Thank you for making such a great app! Five stars! ### 2/5 — Can’t jump/start at the section you want to read. *2021-02-16* Plus when you change voice, it starts reading from the very start again. **Developer response:** Hi there, do you mind sending us an email at hello@snapshelf.app so we can help you out? Thanks! ## Frequently asked questions about Snapshelf ### What is Snapshelf? Snapshelf is a productivity app that allows you to scan physical documents and books, convert them into editable text, translate the text into over 60 languages, and listen to the content as an audiobook. It also offers playlist organization and cross-device syncing with its Pro subscription. ### How does Snapshelf work? You can import content using your device's camera or by selecting photos and PDF files. The app uses Apple's VisionKit technology to convert images of text into editable text. You can then choose to listen to it, translate it, or share it. ### What languages can Snapshelf scan and translate? Currently, Snapshelf only supports scanning in English, with more language support planned for the future. However, it can translate scanned text into over 60 different languages. ### What are the Pro features of Snapshelf? Snapshelf Pro offers features like syncing across all your devices using iCloud and CloudKit, unlimited translations, unlimited Text to Speech audio playback, and unlimited playback using the Playlists feature. A free trial for translations and snippet playbacks is included. ### How much does Snapshelf Pro cost? Snapshelf Pro is available through a subscription model. Monthly subscriptions cost $0.99, and annual subscriptions cost $9.99. Prices may vary by location. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. ### What devices does Snapshelf support? Snapshelf is designed to run on both iPhone and iPad devices. It is powered by iOS 13 and utilizes Apple's latest technologies. ### How often is Snapshelf updated? The latest version of Snapshelf is 1.1.2, which was last updated on December 30, 2020. While specific update frequency isn't detailed, the app has seen regular updates since its release in 2019. ### Is Snapshelf safe for all ages? Snapshelf has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for younger users. The app focuses on text processing and translation, with no content that would be inappropriate for this age group. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.0.0 — 2026-08-31 Snapshelf 2.0 is a ground-up rebuild — our first major update in six years, and worth the wait. TRANSLATION NOW RUNS ON YOUR DEVICE Translation uses Apple's on-device Translation framework across 21 languages. The previous version sent your text to a translation service over the internet. This one does not send it anywhere. SCANS AROUND 25 LANGUAGES Text recognition now reads the languages your iPhone is set to, rather than English alone. A PROPER AUDIO PLAYER Lock Screen and Dynamic Island playback with a real progress scrubber, skip fifteen seconds either way, and playback speed. Calls, Siri and headphone disconnects are handled correctly — and opening Snapshelf no longer stops whatever you were already listening to. BETTER VOICES Apple's Premium and Enhanced voices, grouped by language. All free — they are already on your phone. PLAYLISTS AND TRANSLATIONS NOW SYNC TOO Sync previously covered snippets alone. Your playlists and your saved translations now follow you between iPhone and iPad as well, through your own iCloud. MUCH SMALLER LIBRARIES Scans are captured at a sensible size and existing libraries are compacted once, automatically. A large test library went from around 200 MB to around 12 MB — that is your storage and your iCloud quota back. A FAIRER FREE TIER Everything is unlimited for your first week. After that, listening and translating run on a rolling weekly allowance instead of a one-time counter that never reset, so there is always something waiting when you come back. A LIFETIME OPTION Pro is now available as a one-time purchase that never renews, alongside the monthly and yearly plans, and it is shareable with your family. DARK MODE At last — with a Light, Dark or System setting of its own. REBUILT FOUNDATIONS A new data layer on SwiftData and CloudKit, and a one-time migration that brings your existing library across. Requires iOS 26. ### 1.1.2 — 2020-12-30 • FIXED: We have squashed some bugs and improved the overall reliability of the Playlist feature to ensure a smooth Audiobook experience! We hope you enjoy using Snapshelf, for all feedback and enquiries please feel free to contact us at hello@snapshelf.app ### 1.1.1 — 2020-12-28 • IMPROVED: Various bug fixes and improvements for the new Playlist feature We hope you enjoy using Snapshelf, for all feedback and enquiries please feel free to contact us at hello@snapshelf.app ### 1.1.0 — 2020-12-22 • NEW: Finally! A better way to listen to your snippets. Organise them using our new Playlists feature so you can listen to them back to back! • IMPROVED: Various bug fixes and improvements under the hood to ensure a smooth experience using Snapshelf We hope you enjoy using Snapshelf, for all feedback and enquiries please feel free to contact us at hello@snapshelf.app ### 1.0.4 — 2020-06-11 • NEW: We have added the ability to import from PDF files! We hope you enjoy using Snapshelf, for all feedback and enquiries please feel free to contact us at hello@snapshelf.app ## Apps similar to Snapshelf | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Text To Speech - Odiofy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-to-speech-odiofy/id1499125748) | 4.2 (799) | Free | Productivity | | [Voice Aloud Reader](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/voice-aloud-reader/id1446876360) | 4.6 (18,809) | Free | Productivity | | [PDF Expert: Editor & Reader](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-expert-editor-and-reader/id743974925) | 4.7 (215,820) | Free | Productivity | | [Natural text to speech reader](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/natural-text-to-speech-reader/id1570951487) | 3.8 (36) | Free | Productivity | | [Speechify – Text to Speech PDF](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speechify-text-to-speech-pdf/id1209815023) | 4.7 (522,686) | Free | Productivity | | [Synthy: Read Aloud Doc & Scan](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synthy-read-aloud-doc-and-scan/id1579863833) | 4.2 (384) | Free | Productivity | ## More apps by Ting Tze Chuen - [Fliptastic Pro - Video Maker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fliptastic-pro-video-maker/id717786312) - [Animata - Play to Learn](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/animata-play-to-learn/id725186720) - [Fliptastic - Slideshow Maker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fliptastic-slideshow-maker/id767542456) All apps by Ting Tze Chuen: https://appshunter.io/developer/654138164 --- *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 2026-09-09.*