# Braille Academy vs Bookshare Reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Braille Academy at 90% against Bookshare Reader's 36%. Braille Academy also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.3) and ratings volume (1.7K vs 68). Bookshare Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Braille Academy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Bookshare Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Braille Academy holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Braille Academy has 1.7K ratings behind it against 68, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of Braille Academy's written reviews are positive against 36% of Bookshare Reader's.

Braille Academy ships an update every 6 months, Bookshare Reader every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Braille Academy | Bookshare Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/braille-academy-play-and-learn/id1561530189/reviews)** | [3.3 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshare-reader/id1605201737/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 68 |
| Positive reviews | **90.4% of reviews** | 35.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 31 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.1** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Xiang Dong](https://appshunter.io/developer/1511041685) | [Benetech](https://appshunter.io/developer/425585906) |

## What reviewers say

### Braille Academy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/braille-academy-play-and-learn/id1561530189)

This app teaches the Braille system through interactive lessons and challenges. It covers letters, numbers, punctuation, and various word and group signs, offering over 90% of Unified English Braille knowledge. Features include customizable themes and offline functionality.

**Highlights:** 13 learning chapters, Covers letters, numbers, punctuation, and symbols, Over 90% of Unified English Braille knowledge, 59 levels and 29 challenges, Contrast theme for visual impairment, Offline functionality, Certificates upon chapter completion

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Lifetime Premium | $3.99 | one-time |


### Bookshare Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshare-reader/id1605201737)

Access a vast library of ebooks designed for individuals with reading barriers. Enjoy high-quality audio narration and customize your reading experience with adjustable fonts, colors, and speeds. Continue reading seamlessly from where you left off.

**Highlights:** Access millions of ebooks, High-quality audio narration, Customizable reading experience, Adjustable font size and colors, Follow along with highlighted text, Offline reading

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for dyslexic readers
- 👍 Realistic text-to-speech voices
- 👍 Offline book downloads
- 👍 Essential for blind users
- 👍 Significant improvements made

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Prolonged pauses in speech
- 🐛 Library not syncing across devices
- 🐛 Reading lists don't sync
- 🐛 Progress not saved across devices
- 🐛 Stuck on copyright page (manga)

**Reported bugs**

- Prolonged pauses in text-to-speech
- Library not syncing across devices
- Reading lists not syncing
- Reading progress not saved across devices
- Manga stuck on copyright page

**Requested features**

- Fix prolonged pauses in text-to-speech
- Sync library across devices
- Sync reading lists across devices
- Save reading progress across devices
- Fix manga page navigation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Braille Academy free?

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

### Is Bookshare Reader free?

Bookshare Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Braille Academy or Bookshare Reader?

Braille Academy is rated higher. Braille Academy averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Bookshare Reader averages 3.3 from 68 ratings.

### Do Braille Academy or Bookshare Reader have ads?

Neither Braille Academy nor Bookshare Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Braille Academy or Bookshare Reader?

Braille Academy ships an update every 6 months, and Bookshare Reader every 3 weeks. Most recently, Braille Academy was updated on October 30, 2026 and Bookshare Reader on October 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.*