# Readwise vs Speed reading

Readwise and Speed reading both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 72% of Readwise's written reviews are positive against 25% of Speed reading's. Readwise also leads on ratings volume (1.5K vs 143) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). Speed reading's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.5). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Readwise sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Speed reading sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Readwise against 4.7 for Speed reading. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Readwise has 1.5K ratings behind it against 143, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 72% of Readwise's written reviews are positive against 25% of Speed reading's.

Readwise ships an update every 2 weeks, Speed reading every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Readwise | Speed reading |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readwise/id1476885528/reviews)** | [4.7 (143 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speed-reading-reader/id6451441419/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 143 |
| Positive reviews | **72.3% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 110 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Readwise, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476885527) | [Alican Efe](https://appshunter.io/developer/1693988285) |

## What reviewers say

### Readwise

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readwise/id1476885528)

This app helps you retain more of what you read by centralizing and revisiting your highlights from various reading platforms. It uses spaced repetition and active recall techniques to improve memory and offers features like tagging, note-taking, and OCR for physical books.

**Highlights:** Synchronize highlights from multiple platforms, Daily review habit via app and email, Spaced repetition and active recall, Tag, note, and search highlights, OCR for paper book highlights, Convert highlights to flashcards

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Readwise Lite Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Readwise Lite Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Readwise Full Monthly Plan | $8.99 | per month |
| Readwise Full Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Readwise Lite Yearly | $52.99 | per year |
| Readwise Lite Yearly | $66.99 | per year |
| Readwise Full Yearly | $94.99 | per year |
| Readwise Full Yearly | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful spaced repetition
- 📚 Seamless integration with reading apps
- 🔍 Helpful AI-powered features
- 🗓️ Useful daily review routine
- 🧠 Boosts knowledge retention

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔌 Sync issues with some platforms
- 📱 Subpar mobile app experience
- 🕰️ Lack of flexibility in daily review
- 🔍 Limited search functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Sync failures with certain accounts
- Unreliable highlight capture

**Requested features**

- Add support for more reading apps
- Improve sync and import capabilities
- Introduce more customization options
- Enhance search and organization tools
- Develop a more intuitive mobile interface


### Speed reading

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speed-reading-reader/id6451441419)

Enhance your reading speed and comprehension with targeted exercises and a specialized reader for PDF and EPUB files. Improve focus, expand your visual angle, and track your progress over 30 days to read books faster and more effectively.

**Highlights:** Speed reading and concentration exercises, Reading accelerator for PDF/EPUB, 30-day speed reading course, Eye muscle and vision angle exercises, EPUB and PDF reader, Progress statistics, Spritz and Bionic reading modes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Premium | $3.99 | per month |
| 3 Month Premium | $6.99 | per 3 months |
| 1 Year Premium | $17.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Readwise free?

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

### Is Speed reading free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Readwise or Speed reading?

Readwise is rated higher. Readwise averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Speed reading averages 4.7 from 143 ratings.

### Do Readwise or Speed reading have ads?

Neither Readwise nor Speed reading shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Readwise or Speed reading?

Readwise ships an update every 2 weeks, and Speed reading every 5 weeks. Most recently, Readwise was updated on September 30, 2026 and Speed reading on September 24, 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.*