# SayWave vs Text Reader

SayWave and Text Reader both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 81% of SayWave's written reviews are positive against 61% of Text Reader's. SayWave also leads on device support (4 vs 1). Text Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (16.6 vs 26.4). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SayWave sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Text Reader sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for SayWave against 4.3 for Text Reader. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 166 and 117 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of SayWave's written reviews are positive against 61% of Text Reader's.

SayWave ships an update fortnightly, Text Reader every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SayWave | Text Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (166 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/saywave-text-to-speech/id1602520288/reviews)** | [4.3 (117 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-reader-text-to-speech/id1632901543/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **166** | 117 |
| Positive reviews | **81.4% of reviews** | 61.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 12 MB | 99 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.4 | **16.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Maryam Derakhshesh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1625594620) | [Torapp](https://appshunter.io/developer/1825316615) |

## What reviewers say

### SayWave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/saywave-text-to-speech/id1602520288)

Convert text to natural-sounding speech and speech to text privately and offline. Supports multiple languages, accents, and export formats. Read PDFs, scan text from images, and save conversations.

**Highlights:** Text to speech with natural Apple voices, Offline speech to text transcription, Import and read PDFs, Scan text from images, Export audio in multiple formats, Save and search conversations, iMessage app and Apple Watch integration

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $24.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and helpful
- 🚀 Fast text to speech conversion
- 👍 Good for creative writing
- 🗣️ Multi-language support
- 💡 Export MP3 audios

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy and doesn't work
- 🐛 Freezes when asking for audio
- 🐛 Ebook reader not as expected
- 🐛 Voice reading is terrible
- 🐛 Word pronunciation slowed down

**Reported bugs**

- Forward and backward option not working after iOS update
- App freezes when requesting 'get audio'
- Ebook reader exports texts and then reads them
- Speech reading is terrible, pronunciation slows down
- App does not work on iPad

**Requested features**

- Update for iOS compatibility
- Improve audio player controls
- Option to change speaker voice
- Improvements in interface/highlighting
- Browser integration


### Text Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-reader-text-to-speech/id1632901543)

This AI-powered app converts any written text into natural-sounding speech. Listen to books, articles, or documents on the go, making content consumption more accessible and convenient. It's ideal for multitasking or for those who prefer auditory learning.

**Highlights:** AI-powered text to speech conversion, Reads aloud any text, document, or book, Built-in screen reader functionality, Supports English and over 40 languages, Adjustable reading speed control, Scans and reads text quickly

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 300 Minutes (2 Dollar Weekly) | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| 300 Minutes (Monthly) 1.5x | $4.99 | per month |
| 300 Minutes (7 Dollar Weekly) | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| 300 minutes/month (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| 300 Minutes (Weekly) | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| 3000 Minutes (Monthly) | $24.99 | per month |
| 2400 Minutes (Monthly) | $24.99 | per month |
| 300 minutes/month (Yearly) | $29.99 | per year |
| 300 minutes/month (Yearly) | $59.99 | per year |
| 300 minutes/month (Yearly) | $59.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SayWave free?

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

### Is Text Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SayWave or Text Reader?

SayWave is rated higher. SayWave averages 4.4 out of 5 from 166 ratings, while Text Reader averages 4.3 from 117 ratings.

### Do SayWave or Text Reader have ads?

Neither SayWave nor Text Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SayWave or Text Reader?

SayWave ships an update fortnightly, and Text Reader every 3 weeks. Most recently, SayWave was updated on November 3, 2026 and Text Reader on November 3, 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.*