# Total Reader vs Headstart Staff

The clearest difference is price: Total Reader at Free against Headstart Staff's $9.99. Headstart Staff's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Total Reader is free to download; Headstart Staff costs $9.99 up front. Total Reader sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Headstart Staff asks for nothing beyond the download.

Total Reader ships an update every 2 months, Headstart Staff monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Total Reader | Headstart Staff |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $9.99 |
| Rating | **[3.8 (37 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/total-reader-text-to-speech/id1471506439/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **37** | — |
| Positive reviews | 13.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 37 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Storch](https://appshunter.io/developer/335855086) | [J-LK Data Management CC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1735756647) |

## What reviewers say

### Total Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/total-reader-text-to-speech/id1471506439)

This app converts text files into natural-sounding speech, allowing users to listen to documents while following along with highlighted text. It supports a wide range of file formats and over 30 languages, with easy import options from cloud storage and computers.

**Highlights:** Reads documents aloud, Converts text to natural voice, Highlights spoken words, Supports PDF, Word, PowerPoint, RTF, Imports from cloud storage, Supports over 30 languages

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Account for 1 month. | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium Account for 1 year. | $19.99 | per year |
| Total Reader Premium Lifetime. | $39.99 | one-time |


### Headstart Staff

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/headstart-staff/id6499267280)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Total Reader free?

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

### Is Headstart Staff free?

Headstart Staff costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Total Reader or Headstart Staff have ads?

Total Reader shows ads; Headstart Staff does not.

### Which is updated more often, Total Reader or Headstart Staff?

Total Reader ships an update every 2 months, and Headstart Staff monthly. Most recently, Total Reader was updated on October 16, 2026 and Headstart Staff on October 15, 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.*