# Gmail vs Speaking Email

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Speaking Email at 68% against Gmail's 29%. Speaking Email also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). Gmail's advantage is ratings volume (2.4M vs 206) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Gmail sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Speaking Email sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Gmail holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gmail has 2.4M ratings behind it against 206, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 29% of Gmail's written reviews are positive against 68% of Speaking Email's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Gmail ships an update weekly, Speaking Email every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Gmail | Speaking Email |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.4M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gmail-email-by-google/id422689480/reviews)** | [4.5 (206 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speaking-email-voice-reader/id991406423/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.4M** | 206 |
| Positive reviews | 29.3% of reviews | **67.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#4** | — |
| Size | 719 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [BEWEB LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/991406422) |

## What reviewers say

### Gmail

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gmail-email-by-google/id422689480)

**Currently charting:** #4 Top Grossing · Productivity, #5 Top Free · Productivity, #18 Top Grossing, #22 Top Free (US App Store)

This application provides a secure and efficient email experience with advanced features like spam blocking, smart replies, and multi-account support. It integrates with other Google services for enhanced productivity and collaboration.

**Highlights:** Robust security & spam blocking, Real-time notifications, Multiple account support, Smart Reply & Compose, Undo send, Google Chat & Meet integration, Threaded conversations

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| 2 TB | $9.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient email management
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 😊 Positive user experience overall

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 💡 Lacking advanced features
- 🔒 Security concerns
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications not working properly
- Emails disappearing from inbox
- Inability to remove accounts
- Conversation view issues

**Requested features**

- Swipe to delete/snooze emails
- Ability to mark all emails as read
- Customizable notification settings
- Improved file attachment functionality


### Speaking Email

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speaking-email-voice-reader/id991406423)

This app reads your emails aloud and allows you to manage them using voice commands. It's ideal for hands-free and eyes-free email access, benefiting drivers and individuals with visual impairments or motor difficulties.

**Highlights:** Reads emails aloud, Voice commands for replies and management, Hands-free and eyes-free operation, Smart content detection, Multilingual email support, Secure connection to various email servers

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Subscription Annual | $34.99 | per year |
| Premium Plan | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium Plan 3 Months | $12.99 | one-time |
| Premium Plan 12 Months | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Life-changing for accessibility
- 👍 Great for visually impaired
- 👍 Excellent for ADHD/focus issues
- 👍 Time-saver for busy users
- 👍 Useful for commuting

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🐛 Unreliable connection issues
- 🐛 Difficult to set up
- 🐛 Poor voice recognition/robotic voice
- 🐛 Battery drain

**Reported bugs**

- Keeps crashing
- Doesn't work reliably
- Granting Gmail access is buggy
- App crashes after an update
- Doesn't save place in emails

**Requested features**

- Ability to search using voice command
- CarPlay support
- Apple Watch App for interaction
- Support for Exchange using Active Sync or Outlook Web Access
- Dark mode option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Gmail free?

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

### Is Speaking Email free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Gmail or Speaking Email?

Gmail is rated higher. Gmail averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.4M ratings, while Speaking Email averages 4.5 from 206 ratings.

### Do Gmail or Speaking Email have ads?

Gmail shows ads; Speaking Email does not.

### Which is updated more often, Gmail or Speaking Email?

Gmail ships an update weekly, and Speaking Email every 3 weeks. Most recently, Gmail was updated on September 25, 2026 and Speaking Email on September 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.*