# Shakespeare Pro vs Shakespeare SwipeSpeare

The clearest difference is price: Shakespeare SwipeSpeare at Free against Shakespeare Pro's $12.99. Shakespeare SwipeSpeare also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 16.0). Shakespeare Pro's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 2.7) and review sentiment (87% vs 58%). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Shakespeare SwipeSpeare is free to download; Shakespeare Pro costs $12.99 up front. Shakespeare Pro sells 24 one-off in-app purchases and Shakespeare SwipeSpeare sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Shakespeare Pro holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shakespeare Pro has 1.7K ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of Shakespeare Pro's written reviews are positive against 58% of Shakespeare SwipeSpeare's.

Shakespeare Pro ships an update every 3 weeks, Shakespeare SwipeSpeare every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shakespeare Pro | Shakespeare SwipeSpeare |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $12.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shakespeare-pro/id341392367/reviews)** | [2.7 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shakespeare-swipespeare/id582673708/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 23 |
| Positive reviews | **86.7% of reviews** | 57.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#116** | — |
| Size | 416 MB | 171 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [PlayShakespeare.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/809094812) | [BookCaps](https://appshunter.io/developer/461992824) |

## What reviewers say

### Shakespeare Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shakespeare-pro/id341392367)

**Currently charting:** #116 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

Access the complete works of Shakespeare, including plays, sonnets, and poems. Features include a searchable concordance, integrated glossary, note-taking and sharing capabilities, and customizable reading options. Explore character details, historical context, and original spellings.

**Highlights:** Complete works of Shakespeare, Searchable concordance, Integrated glossary with definitions, Add and share personal notes, Customizable reading experience, Character descriptions and arcs, Original First Folios and Quartos

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (24)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Modern translation: AYLI | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (M4M) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (Much Ado) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (Tempest) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (2GV) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern translation: A&C | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (Henry 5) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (JC) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern translation: COE | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (Pericles) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (Othello) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (TN) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (Macbeth) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (RJ) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (Hamlet) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Schmidt's Lexicon | $3.99 | one-time |
| Glossary by C. T. Onions | $3.99 | one-time |
| Glossary by Alexander Dyce | $3.99 | one-time |
| All Apocrypha Plays | $7.99 | one-time |
| All Lexicons | $9.99 | one-time |
| Course: Intro to Shakespeare | $9.99 | one-time |
| Course: Shakespeare for Kids | $9.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (All) | $17.99 | one-time |
| Shakespeare Ultimate | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Comprehensive Shakespeare collection
- 📚 Helpful features like glossary, character summaries, and search
- 💻 Convenient to have all works in one app
- 🎨 Well-designed and easy to use
- 🤓 Invaluable resource for students and Shakespeare enthusiasts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Difficulty searching Folio texts
- 📝 Lack of note-taking functionality
- 🔔 Persistent requests for reviews can be annoying
- 🔤 Some inaccuracies in modern language translations

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch after recent update
- Glossary feature not working as expected
- Quote of the day widget not functioning properly
- Formatting issues when reading in certain orientations

**Requested features**

- Add ability to take notes and highlight text
- Improve search functionality, especially for Folio texts
- Provide more detailed character and plot summaries
- Include links to video/audio performances of the plays
- Offer more language options (e.g., original spelling, modern translations)


### Shakespeare SwipeSpeare

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shakespeare-swipespeare/id582673708)

Easily understand Shakespeare's works with this app that translates classic texts into modern English. Swipe to toggle between original and translated versions, access a built-in dictionary, biography, and study guides. Order print or ePub versions of plays.

**Highlights:** Modern English translations, Interactive swipe to toggle text, Searchable Shakespeare Dictionary, Shakespeare biography, Print and ePub ordering, Cross-device sync, Study guides and lesson plans

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Midsummer Nights Dream | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hamlet | $1.99 | one-time |
| Macbeth | $1.99 | one-time |
| Romeo and Juliet | $1.99 | one-time |
| Julius Caesar | $1.99 | one-time |
| The Tempest | $1.99 | one-time |
| Twelfth Night | $1.99 | one-time |
| Othello | $1.99 | one-time |
| Much Ado About Nothing | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock All Plays | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Great resource for understanding Shakespeare
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 📚 Modern translation alongside original text
- 🚀 Swipe feature for quick translation
- 🎯 Helpful for students and teachers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 App takes money without unlocking content
- 🚫 Customer service unresponsive
- ❓ Confirmation codes not sent
- 💰 Lost money on purchases
- 📉 Purchases not restoring on new devices

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening app
- Crashes when trying to open a book
- Takes money but doesn't unlock plays
- Confirmation code not sent
- Purchases not restoring

**Requested features**

- Ability to edit notes
- Side-by-side view of original and modern text
- Line numbers included
- Character lists available
- Bookmark functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shakespeare Pro free?

Shakespeare Pro costs $12.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Shakespeare SwipeSpeare free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Shakespeare Pro or Shakespeare SwipeSpeare?

Shakespeare Pro is rated higher. Shakespeare Pro averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Shakespeare SwipeSpeare averages 2.7 from 23 ratings.

### Do Shakespeare Pro or Shakespeare SwipeSpeare have ads?

Neither Shakespeare Pro nor Shakespeare SwipeSpeare shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shakespeare Pro or Shakespeare SwipeSpeare?

Shakespeare Pro ships an update every 3 weeks, and Shakespeare SwipeSpeare every 6 weeks. Most recently, Shakespeare Pro was updated on October 26, 2026 and Shakespeare SwipeSpeare on October 23, 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.*