# Neural Reader vs RetroNoise

The clearest difference is update cadence: RetroNoise at every 3 days against Neural Reader's monthly. Neural Reader's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neural Reader sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month and RetroNoise sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Neural Reader ships an update monthly, RetroNoise every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Neural Reader | RetroNoise |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (495 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/neural-reader-smarter-reading/id1498396654/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **495** | — |
| Positive reviews | 48.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Size | 44 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Prompt Functions Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1245540157) | [非凡 常](https://appshunter.io/developer/1495411611) |

## What reviewers say

### Neural Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/neural-reader-smarter-reading/id1498396654)

This AI-powered app transforms any text into natural-sounding audio, allowing for hands-free learning and content consumption. It supports various file formats and web links, and enables users to ask questions about the content for instant, cited answers.

**Highlights:** AI-powered text-to-speech, Ask questions about documents, Supports PDFs, EPUBs, web pages, and more, Lifelike natural voices, Adjustable reading speed, Live transcription, Export audio files

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Neural Reader Silver 1 Month | $11.99 | per month |
| Neural Reader Pro 1 Month | $14.99 | per month |
| Neural Reader Gold 1 Month | $19.99 | per month |
| Neural Reader Platinum 1 Month | $37.99 | per month |
| Neural Reader Silver 1 Year | $79.99 | per year |
| Neural Reader Pro 1 Year | $116.99 | per year |
| Neural Reader Gold 1 Year | $129.99 | per year |
| Neural Reader Platinum 1 Year | $249.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎙️ Extremely natural and human-like voice quality
- 🎨 Multiple premium voice options available
- 📖 Effective for reading textbooks and study materials
- ✍️ Helps with proofreading and editing tasks
- 🔤 Accurate handwriting recognition capabilities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription pricing model
- 📊 Severe word count limitations even on paid plans
- 🐛 Inconsistent punctuation handling (periods read as 'dots')
- 🐛 Skips text sections and bullet points
- 🐛 Incorrect reading order (starts bottom, goes to top)

**Reported bugs**

- Authentication code not sending during signup
- Incorrect reading sequence with photo uploads
- Bullet points read without proper pauses
- Text extraction fails with images in textbooks
- Inconsistent word pronunciation based on context

**Requested features**

- Text highlighting and auto-scrolling while reading
- Support for book-length content and chapter uploads
- EPUB file format support
- Dropbox and cloud storage integration
- Ability to highlight text from web and other apps


### RetroNoise

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retronoise/id6746529238)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Subscription Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Premium Subscription Yearly | $7.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Neural Reader free?

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

### Is RetroNoise free?

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

### Do Neural Reader or RetroNoise have ads?

Neither Neural Reader nor RetroNoise shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Neural Reader or RetroNoise?

Neural Reader ships an update monthly, and RetroNoise every 3 days. Most recently, Neural Reader was updated on October 5, 2026 and RetroNoise on October 4, 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.*