# Times Alive vs Readability

The clearest difference is price: Readability at Free against Times Alive's $14.99. Readability also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 13 months) and ratings volume (25K vs 153). Times Alive's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (85% vs 56%). On rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Readability is free to download; Times Alive costs $14.99 up front. Readability sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Times Alive asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Times Alive against 4.6 for Readability. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Readability has 25K ratings behind it against 153, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Times Alive's written reviews are positive against 56% of Readability's.

Times Alive ships an update every 13 months, Readability fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Times Alive | Readability |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.6 (153 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/times-alive/id1436641502/reviews) | **[4.6 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readability-learn-to-read/id1477213383/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 153 | **25K** |
| Positive reviews | **84.6% of reviews** | 55.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Paid** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#193** | — |
| Size | 156 MB | 263 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [City Creek](https://appshunter.io/developer/1382352784) | [e4site Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1477213382) |

## What reviewers say

### Times Alive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/times-alive/id1436641502)

**Currently charting:** #193 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

This app makes learning multiplication tables engaging through story videos and songs. It offers quizzes and games covering all tables from 0-9, and tracks student progress. It's particularly beneficial for students with learning differences.

**Highlights:** Story videos and songs for memorization, Quizzes and games for all times tables (0-9), Progress tracking (completed lessons, scores, time), Pretest and post-test for progress monitoring, Supports students with learning differences

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Readability

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readability-learn-to-read/id1477213383)

This app uses AI-powered voice technology to provide personalized reading tutoring for children. It listens as kids read aloud, offers pronunciation correction, and assesses comprehension through interactive questions. The app also builds vocabulary and allows parents to track progress.

**Highlights:** AI-powered voice recognition for reading practice, Real-time pronunciation correction, Interactive voice-based comprehension questions, Personalized vocabulary lists, Parent dashboard for progress tracking, Engaging grade-level stories with illustrations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Readability Tutor | $19.99 | per month |
| Readability Tutor Annual | $139.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for struggling readers
- 🚀 Improves reading fluency
- 💡 Engaging for kids
- 👍 Useful data and progress tracking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Voice recognition issues
- 🐛 Inaccurate comprehension tests
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Glitchy performance

**Reported bugs**

- App charges for free trial
- Subscription cancellation issues
- Inconsistent app behavior
- Compatibility problems on some devices

**Requested features**

- More customization options for text and background
- Improved voice recognition accuracy
- Expanded book selection
- Better comprehension testing


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Times Alive free?

Times Alive costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Readability free?

Readability is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Times Alive or Readability?

Readability is rated higher. Times Alive averages 4.6 out of 5 from 153 ratings, while Readability averages 4.6 from 25K ratings.

### Do Times Alive or Readability have ads?

Neither Times Alive nor Readability shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Times Alive or Readability?

Times Alive ships an update every 13 months, and Readability fortnightly. Most recently, Times Alive was updated on October 25, 2026 and Readability on November 1, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*