# Xarra: Text to Speech Reader — Articles, Blogs, PDFs, EPUBs… > On-device text-to-speech reader for documents, articles, and web content. (iPhone/iPad app by Daniel Devesa Derksen-Staats.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xarra-text-to-speech-reader/id6759402266 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Daniel Devesa Derksen-Staats](https://appshunter.io/developer/1866327000) - Category: Productivity, Education - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 26.0 · 17 MB - Languages: British English, Catalan, Dutch, Canadian French, German (Germany), Italian, Japanese, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, European Spanish - Released: 2026-03-26 - Data updated: 2026-10-09 - Monetization: freemium - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xarra-text-to-speech-reader/id6759402266/reviews.md ## What is Xarra? Xarra uses on-device text-to-speech with natural voices, so you can listen to pretty much any text, or read along with synced line and optional word highlighting, and stay focused. Featured in Create with Swift, Weekly Newsletter #101 (Indie App of the Week): "The app developed by Daniel is well integrated into the system. (...) Accessibility runs through the whole experience rather than sitting on top of it." Bring your content in: • Import PDF, EPUB, Markdown, DAISY, plain text, RTF, and more, or browse Project Gutenberg in the app. • Share web articles, blog posts, and documents from Safari and other apps. • Paste text or add a URL. Listen your way: • Optional word highlighting in background or underline styles. • Adjust playback speed and pick a voice for each language. • Choose reading fonts including OpenDyslexic, Atkinson Hyperlegible, and Lexend. Accessibility front and center: • VoiceOver-friendly navigation, Dynamic Type as a design principle, Bold Text, and Increase Contrast support, and more. • Respects your device assistive technology voice and speed settings. Private, lightweight, and offline-friendly: no account, no analytics, no tracking. Your documents stay on your device and sync through your private iCloud when enabled. Terms & Conditions for Xarra: https://accessibilityupto11.com/apps/xarra/terms/ ## Key features - On-device text-to-speech - Supports PDF, EPUB, Markdown, and more - Web article sharing - Adjustable playback speed and voices - Customizable reading fonts - Synced line and word highlighting - Offline functionality ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month | | Yearly Subscription | $9.99 | per year | **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Lifetime Access | $29.99 | one-time | ## Recent user reviews (6 of 6) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xarra-text-to-speech-reader/id6759402266/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Fantastic, distraction free way of reading/listening offline *2026-09-24* Just love using this app to help me focus on whatever I am reading. App is incredibly well designed and doesn’t have any obnoxious tracking or ads. Super small binary size too 🙌 ### 5/5 — Offline listening! *2026-09-24* I’m finally able to go through my reading by listening to it. While on a walk, doing chores, or even commuting on the tube or while flying because it works offline! ### 5/5 — Finally reading what I save *2026-09-24* I save loads of things to read and then never get around to them 😅 Really like being able to listen to them when I’m walking or on the go. Been using it way more than I expected. ### 5/5 — It helps me stay focused *2026-09-24* Listening to the text as I read it is helping me keep the focus while reading. Specially with the word highlighting feature. ### 5/5 — Brilliant! *2026-09-23* Super useful, I’m hooked ### 5/5 — Great help *2026-09-22* Xarra has helped me memorize a lot of chapters from my studies. Easy to use! ## Frequently asked questions about Xarra ### What content can Xarra read aloud? Xarra can read aloud a wide variety of content including PDF, EPUB, Markdown, DAISY, plain text, and RTF files. It also supports sharing web articles and blog posts directly from other apps. ### Does Xarra have ads? No, Xarra does not contain advertisements. The app is designed to be ad-free, ensuring an uninterrupted listening experience for users. ### What are the subscription options for Xarra? Xarra offers a monthly subscription for $1.99 with a 7-day free trial, and a yearly subscription for $9.99 with a 14-day free trial. ### Can I use Xarra offline? Yes, Xarra is designed to be lightweight and offline-friendly. Your documents stay on your device, and you can sync them via iCloud if enabled. ### What accessibility features does Xarra offer? Xarra is built with accessibility in mind, featuring VoiceOver-friendly navigation, Dynamic Type, Bold Text, and Increase Contrast support. It also respects your device's assistive technology voice and speed settings. ### How often is Xarra updated? The latest version of Xarra is 2.0, which was last updated on September 24, 2026. Updates are released to improve functionality and add new features. ### What devices does Xarra support? Xarra is available on Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro (realityDevice). This broad compatibility allows users to access content across multiple Apple platforms. ### Is Xarra suitable for users with dyslexia? Yes, Xarra includes specialized reading fonts like OpenDyslexic, Atkinson Hyperlegible, and Lexend, which can be beneficial for users with dyslexia. The app also offers synced highlighting to aid focus. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.0 — 2026-09-24 Your reading, ready when you are. Xarra 2.0 is ready for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27 and visionOS 27, with more ways to find and start your reading: • Find Xarra documents in Spotlight and open the one you need • Use four new Shortcuts to resume Xarra, play your latest or chosen document, or open one without starting playback • Ask Siri to start listening or pick up where you left off We’ve also made everyday reading smoother: • Automatic voice selection now prefers the highest-quality voice already installed for a document’s language, while specific voice choices continue to take priority • Imports show clearer progress and are easier to cancel • Search your library to quickly find the audio document you want to hear • Playback controls make better use of space across devices, window sizes and larger text settings Finally, Xarra is now available in French, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese and Japanese. We’ve refreshed the existing translations too. Thank you for your support, and happy reading! In previous updates: Xarra 1.6 brought native Apple Vision Pro support with Focus Mode, plus tabs, drag-and-drop file importing and keyboard shortcuts on Mac. It also added smarter chapter summaries and Markdown import. Earlier releases added user-selectable reading fonts, Project Gutenberg and DAISY 3 support. ### 1.6 — 2026-08-05 Read anywhere. Xarra now runs natively on Apple Vision Pro, with a new Focus Mode that turns your space into a calm, distraction-free reading room. On Mac, Xarra also feels right at home, with tabs, drag-and-drop file importing, and a full set of keyboard shortcuts. This update makes long documents easier to work through: • Chapters are smarter, with AI-generated summaries that keep pace with longer books and documents • Scrolling and word-highlighting are noticeably smoother on long audio documents • Markdown files can now be imported directly, alongside PDF, EPUB, and DAISY • Document language detection is more accurate, and you can now override it yourself if Xarra guesses wrong We've also made Xarra easier to read and use for everyone: • Better transcript readability across Dynamic Type sizes, larger screens, Dark Mode, and Increase Contrast • Improved VoiceOver navigation in the transcript view • Improved accessibility for the documents sidebar on Mac Beyond that, the app should just feel more polished all around. We've also seen a lot of interest in Xarra from German-speaking countries, and there's clear demand for German text-to-speech and accessible reading tools. So this release adds full German localization, both in the app and on the App Store. If you speak German, we'd love your feedback on how it reads! Thank you for your support, and happy reading! In previous updates: Xarra 1.3 added user-selectable reading fonts, including OpenDyslexic, Atkinson Hyperlegible, and Lexend. Xarra 1.2 brought Project Gutenberg and DAISY 3 support. ### 1.3 — 2026-05-14 Happy Global Accessibility Awareness Day! Xarra 1.3 adds user-selectable reading fonts, including: • OpenDyslexic, for clearer letter differentiation • Atkinson Hyperlegible, designed for high legibility • Lexend, created to support easier visual reading flow • System font, for the familiar Apple reading experience This release gives you more control over how text appears on screen, so reading can work better for you. We’ve also included stability improvements to keep the experience smooth and reliable. Thank you for your support, and happy reading! In previous updates: Xarra 1.2 brought Project Gutenberg and DAISY 3 support. Xarra 1.1 introduced Voice Management: choose your preferred voice for each language. Thank you for the feedback, keep it coming! ### 1.2 — 2026-04-19 Happy World Book Day! Xarra 1.2 opens two new doors to reading. Project Gutenberg is now built right into the app. Search and import timeless classics: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Sherlock Holmes, and thousands more! Then start listening immediately. No browser tabs, no copy/paste, no extra steps. Xarra also now supports DAISY 3, a digital talking book standard designed to give print-disabled readers the same navigational freedom as a print book. Import your existing DAISY library and get the full Xarra experience: synced text highlighting, chapter navigation, and VoiceOver-first design. Thank you for your support! Happy reading! In previous updates: You asked, we listened! The #1 request since launch has been more control over voices, so we got to work. Xarra 1.1 introduces Voice Management, a new setting that lets you choose your preferred voice for each language, not just the default. We've also made it clearer how to download Premium or Enhanced voices in iOS Settings for a much more natural sound. Thank you for the feedback, keep it coming! ### 1.1 — 2026-04-10 You asked, we listened! The #1 request since launch has been more control over voices, so we got to work. Xarra 1.1 introduces Voice Management, a new setting that lets you choose your preferred voice for each language, not just the default. We've also made it clearer how to download Premium or Enhanced voices in iOS Settings for a much more natural sound. Thank you for the feedback, keep it coming! In previous updates: This update focuses on reliability and polish. • Accessibility improvements, including better Dynamic Type behavior in landscape and improved contrast in playback controls. • Smoother purchase experience with fixes to loading states and layout consistency. • Improved iCloud progress syncing so listening progress stays in sync more reliably. • Fixed a crash that could happen when importing certain .txt files. Thanks for using Xarra. ## Apps similar to Xarra | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [ghostWriter Markdown](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ghostwriter-markdown/id6795344477) | 4.0 (1) | Free | Productivity | | [Remote Incident Manager Mobile](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/remote-incident-manager-mobile/id6775977908) | — | Free | Productivity | | [AppIdeasApp](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/appideasapp/id6476480047) | 5.0 (3) | Free | Productivity | | [Sideboard](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sideboard/id6499199954) | 4.0 (1) | Free | Productivity | | [TagFit, organize your things](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tagfit-organize-your-things/id6730112324) | — | Free | Productivity | | [Perspective Transcribe](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/perspective-transcribe/id6757651715) | 4.4 (9) | Free | Productivity | ## More apps by Daniel Devesa Derksen-Staats - [iMonstickers for Messages](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/imonstickers-for-messages/id1164272926) - [RetroRapid!](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrorapid/id6758641625) All apps by Daniel Devesa Derksen-Staats: https://appshunter.io/developer/1866327000 --- *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 2026-10-09.*