Comparison

Text to Speech vs HeyReader

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Text to Speech

This application converts written text and documents into spoken audio. It allows users to adjust speech settings like volume, speed, and pitch. Saved text can be accessed later, and the app functions offline.

Highlights
  • Text to audio conversion
  • Document to speech
  • Adjustable volume, speed, and pitch
  • Save text for later
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

Text To Speech is a simple and small app that helps to convert text and document into Voice. Just enter the text and the app speaks it for you. Convert any text into audio with Text To Speech feature using TTS Functionality Convert text to speech from text file. Set audio configuration for text to speech like volume, speed and pitch. Save text for later use. You can access everything without internet.

About

HeyReader

This app provides an audio assistant for physical books. Upload the book's PDF, and then ask questions aloud about terms or concepts. The app searches your book and speaks the answers, helping you stay focused on reading.

Highlights
  • Voice-activated questions
  • Answers read aloud
  • Searches book PDF
  • Focuses on physical reading
  • Requires book PDF
Features
Read full description

While reading your physical book, ask HeyReader about any term you don't understand, and it answers out loud. That way you stay focused on the page. What you need: 1. Physical book 2. PDF version of the same book Using HeyReader: 1. Upload PDF 2. Start reading your physical copy 3. Say "Hey Reader" to ask questions and hear answers *Answers come directly from the book's pages. New terms in your book send you to ChatGPT or Google on your phone. Every switch over makes it less likely you come back to the reading. (According to Microsoft and UC Irvine researchers, "it takes 23 minutes to resume an interrupted task”.¹) HeyReader searches the book and answers by voice, keeping your focus on the page. Questions from real sessions: “In Chapter 3, define a stack trace." - Pragmatic Programmer "Define analogous, Chapter 1." - Deep Learning "What's the name for the symbol that looks like a U in chapter 8?" - Deep Learning Terms of Use: https://tryreader.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://tryreader.app/privacy License Agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ ¹ (Mark et al., CSCW 2015)

Screenshots

Text to Speech4 screens
HeyReader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: HeyReader at 100% against Text to Speech's 17%. HeyReader also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.9) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 11 months). Text to Speech's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (37 vs 2). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

HeyReader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Text to Speech has 37 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of Text to Speech's written reviews are positive against 100% of HeyReader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Text to Speech ships an update every 11 months, HeyReader every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Text to Speech versus HeyReader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterText to SpeechHeyReader
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (37 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews16.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings37 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS14.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJatin ManiyaRoshan Gill

Customer experience

Text to Speech

All ratings37 ratings
Positive70.3%
Neutral10.8%
Negative18.9%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive16.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative66.7%

HeyReader

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Text to Speech

No in-app purchases

None

HeyReader

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Text to Speech free?
Text to Speech is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HeyReader free?
HeyReader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Text to Speech or HeyReader?
HeyReader is rated higher. Text to Speech averages 3.9 out of 5 from 37 ratings, while HeyReader averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Text to Speech or HeyReader have ads?
Neither Text to Speech nor HeyReader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Text to Speech or HeyReader?
Text to Speech ships an update every 11 months, and HeyReader every 8 days. Most recently, Text to Speech was updated on October 14, 2026 and HeyReader on October 2, 2026.

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