Comparison

Cash Reader for the Blind vs Live Read

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Cash Reader for the Blind

Instantly identify the value of banknotes from over 100 currencies by simply pointing your camera at them. This app offers fast and accurate recognition, unique vibration feedback, and offline functionality, making it an essential tool for visually impaired individuals.

Highlights
  • Fast and accurate banknote recognition
  • Unique vibration feedback for differentiation
  • Currency conversion to home currency
  • Offline functionality
  • Large fonts and high-contrast options
  • Voice assistant support
Features
Read full description

Point your camera at a banknote to hear, feel, or see its value. Cash Reader helps blind and low vision people identify banknotes independently, at home, in shops, and while traveling. Hear the denomination spoken aloud. Feel the value discreetly through countable vibration patterns, useful in noisy places and for deafblind users. See large, high-contrast values that adapt to your preferred text size. Cash Reader can recognize worn, folded, or partly visible notes. Once you're set up, identify banknotes even without internet. Identify banknotes in almost every country. Hear each banknote's value in your home currency. Use Siri or Shortcuts to identify money or select a currency. Add Identify Money to Control Center or the Lock Screen, or assign it to the Action button. Repeat the last result with VoiceOver's Magic Tap. Cash Reader is free to download and identifies selected lower denominations. Try full access free for 14 days, with no automatic charge. When the trial ends, the app returns to the free version unless you purchase full access. Full access covers all supported denominations and is available through in-app purchases, including subscriptions and lifetime access. Download Cash Reader and take more control of your everyday cash. Privacy Policy: https://cashreader.app/privacy-policy.html Terms of Use: https://cashreader.app/terms-of-use-ios.html

About

Live Read

This app uses your device's camera to instantly read printed text aloud. It's designed for individuals with visual impairments, offering an accessible way to read mail, signs, books, and more without internet or setup. Enjoy customizable speech and offline functionality for independent reading.

Highlights
  • Automatic real-time text reading
  • Tap and swipe gesture controls
  • Customizable natural voice options
  • Offline functionality
  • Supports over 50 languages
  • Private and secure on-device processing
Read full description

Live Read turns your camera into a personal reading companion. It instantly finds printed text and speaks it aloud, giving people with visual impairments an easy way to read independently. No setup, no clutter. Read anything around you From mail and books to signs, menus, and labels, Live Read makes everyday reading effortless at home or on the go. Designed for accessibility Every part of Live Read is built for ease of use. Just open the app, point the camera, and it starts reading automatically. Tap anywhere to stop or reset, or swipe to move between lines. Turning on VoiceOver will replace the swipe gestures with buttons. Features • Automatic reading: Text is detected and spoken aloud in real time. • Tap or swipe control: Tap to stop or reset. Swipe left to repeat a line or right to skip ahead a line of text. • Customizable speech: Choose from natural Apple voices and adjust speaking speed. • Works offline: Reads instantly without an internet connection. • Multi-language support: Recognizes printed text in 50+ languages. • Private and secure: Live Read never saves or sends anything you scan. All processing happens instantly and entirely on your device. Disclaimer: Live Read is not a medical device. Text recognition results may not always be accurate or complete. Please use your own judgment and verify information when needed. Testimonial "I am using it on my phone now. It works amazing! And I'm reading an Irish bagpipe music book so the words are unusual and the computer is getting it pretty much right on." - Vision Piping

Screenshots

Cash Reader for the Blind3 screens
Live Read3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Live Read at none against Cash Reader for the Blind's 5. Live Read also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). Cash Reader for the Blind's advantage is ratings volume (502 vs 11). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Cash Reader for the Blind sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Live Read asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Live Read holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cash Reader for the Blind has 502 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Cash Reader for the Blind's written reviews are positive against 83% of Live Read's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cash Reader for the Blind ships an update fortnightly, Live Read every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Cash Reader for the Blind versus Live Read: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCash Reader for the BlindLive Read
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (502 ratings)4.7 (11 ratings) — better
Positive reviews73.0% of reviews83.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings502 — better11
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size49 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCash Reader s.r.o.Ryan Anetsberger

Customer experience

Cash Reader for the Blind

All ratings502 ratings
Positive78.3%
Neutral15.1%
Negative6.6%
Written reviews237 reviews
Positive73.0%
Neutral9.3%
Negative17.7%

Live Read

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral16.7%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Cash Reader for the Blind

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Fails to recognize certain denominations of local currency
  • App crashes or freezes during use
  • Inconsistent performance across different devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add support for more currencies, especially Latin American currencies
  • Improve accuracy for worn or damaged bills
  • Implement fake bill detection
  • Provide more affordable pricing options

Live Read

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Cash Reader for the Blind

Subscriptions2
  • Full Version Paid Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Full Version Paid Yearly$11.991 Year
One-time3
  • Full Version for 14 daysFree
  • Full Version for one month$2.99
  • Full Version for Lifetime$39.99
None

Live Read

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Cash Reader for the Blind free?
Cash Reader for the Blind is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Live Read free?
Live Read is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Cash Reader for the Blind or Live Read?
Live Read is rated higher. Cash Reader for the Blind averages 4.4 out of 5 from 502 ratings, while Live Read averages 4.7 from 11 ratings.
Do Cash Reader for the Blind or Live Read have ads?
Cash Reader for the Blind shows ads; Live Read does not.
Which is updated more often, Cash Reader for the Blind or Live Read?
Cash Reader for the Blind ships an update fortnightly, and Live Read every 2 weeks. Most recently, Cash Reader for the Blind was updated on October 29, 2026 and Live Read on October 24, 2026.

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