Scan vs Read to Learn Lite
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Scan
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The "lite" version of our large-print, early academic program for beginning to advanced letter users using switch-assisted input. It uses an errorless learning method. Scan-A-Word works on identification, spelling, & word recognition (for reading). Scaffolding (as much help as needed but as little as possible) is embedded so as to help those with significant cognitive challenges. The full version allows you to easily enter lists of spelling words/phrases for the learner to practice and be tested on. WordLists consisting of hundreds of words/sounds/pictures are available from the developer's website at no charge. Scan-A-Word has built-in scanning capabilities, as well as special feedback for blind learners.
Read to Learn Lite
This app offers interactive books and comprehension exercises designed to teach essential literacy and life skills to adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities. It features professional narration, highlighted text, and the ability to hear word pronunciations and definitions.
- Interactive illustrated books
- Professional narration with text highlighting
- Word pronunciation and definition lookup
- Comprehension exercises with hint feature
- Stores and prints test results
- Supports independent living skills
- Accessible with switches
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Read to Learn is an introductory literacy and life skills program for adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities, including autism. It features three heavily illustrated, interactive books with age-appropriate themes: Safety Skills Reader, Life Skills Reader, and Focus on Feelings. These books each contain 1 story, each with a comprehension exercise. All text is spoken by professional narrators and highlighted as it’s read. Readers can touch any word at any time to hear it pronounced, and are given a definition for especially pertinent vocabulary. Safety Skills Reader explores important home, community, personal, and recreational safety issues. Contemporary, graphic novel style drawings illustrate a story about pedestrian travel. Life Skills Reader features a story about reading facial expressions. Realistic photos show expected behaviors and step-by-step procedures. Focus on Feelings features a photo-illustrated story that helps readers recognize how people feel during common life experiences, such as a birthday. Portrait style photos with matching icons illustrate emotions like annoyed, excited, proud, and disappointed. Comprehension exercises with an optional hint feature assess the reader's understanding of each story. Test results are stored and can be printed. Optional automatic page reading and turning aid readers who have difficulty navigating the app. Read to Learn scans, and is accessible with one or two switches. Features: Stresses independent living skills Supports nonreaders Written in simplified, concise language Illustrated with realistic photos and drawings Narrated professionally Highlights text by word, sentence, or line Allows user to touch any word to hear it pronounced Includes hint feature for tests Stores and prints test results Attainment has been developing curricula and assistive technology products for people with disabilities for over 30 years. We are well known for our topnotch customer service. Please email us with questions and comments. And yes, we’re happy to talk to you on the telephone. Read to Learn supports Retina displays!
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Read to Learn Lite at every 3 months against Scan's every 6 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
Both are free to download. Scan sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Read to Learn Lite sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Scan ships an update every 6 months, Read to Learn Lite every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.
| Parameter | Scan | Read to Learn Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 1.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 47 MB | 301 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | RJ Cooper & Associates, Inc. | Attainment Company |
In-app purchases
Scan
- Upgrade to Full Version of Scan-A-Word$4.99
Read to Learn Lite
- Life Skill Readers$13.99
- Focus on Feelings$13.99
- Safety Skills Reader$13.99
Questions
Is Scan free?
Is Read to Learn Lite free?
Do Scan or Read to Learn Lite have ads?
Which is updated more often, Scan or Read to Learn Lite?
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