# The.Reader vs Voice Shadow

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The.Reader at none against Voice Shadow's 3. Voice Shadow's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 7 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Voice Shadow sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. The.Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

The.Reader ships an update every 7 months, Voice Shadow every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The.Reader | Voice Shadow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Size | 19 MB | 98 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [santiago ortega](https://appshunter.io/developer/1107646234) | [召 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/1856941752) |

## What reviewers say

### The.Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thereader/id6444778523)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Voice Shadow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/voice-shadow-vocal-visualizer/id6756025762)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PRO Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| PRO Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The.Reader free?

The.Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Voice Shadow free?

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

### Do The.Reader or Voice Shadow have ads?

The.Reader shows ads; Voice Shadow does not.

### Which is updated more often, The.Reader or Voice Shadow?

The.Reader ships an update every 7 months, and Voice Shadow every 2 weeks. Most recently, The.Reader was updated on October 12, 2026 and Voice Shadow on October 2, 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.*