# SwiftRead vs Focal

The clearest difference is rating: Focal at 5.0 against SwiftRead's 4.3. Focal also leads on monetization model (free vs freemium) and review sentiment (100% vs 85%). SwiftRead's advantage is ratings volume (41 vs 3) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SwiftRead sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and Focal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Focal holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SwiftRead has 41 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of SwiftRead's written reviews are positive against 100% of Focal's.

SwiftRead ships an update every 9 days, Focal every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SwiftRead | Focal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swiftread-speed-reading/id6470811151/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focal-rsvp-pdfepub-reader/id6760180694/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **41** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 84.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 72 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SwiftRead](https://appshunter.io/developer/1714250314) | [Jesse Meissner](https://appshunter.io/developer/1882998870) |

## What reviewers say

### SwiftRead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swiftread-speed-reading/id6470811151)

Enhance your reading speed and comprehension with focus modes and natural text-to-speech narration. Import content from various sources and customize your reading experience across devices.

**Highlights:** Import PDFs, EPUBs, web articles, Visual focus modes (RSVP, pacing), Human-like TTS narration (90+ languages), Sync across devices, Customizable fonts, themes, speed, Works with Kindle Cloud Reader & Libby

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Quarterly | $44.99 | per 3 months |
| Annual | $119.99 | per year |


### Focal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focal-rsvp-pdfepub-reader/id6760180694)

This reading app offers multiple modes to enhance focus and reduce eye strain. It supports PDF and EPUB files with adjustable speeds and customizable backgrounds for a distraction-free experience.

**Highlights:** Multiple reading modes (RSVP, Sentence, Page), Adjustable reading speed (WPM), Natural pacing with punctuation pauses, PDF and EPUB library support, Reading progress memory, Bookmarks, Customizable backgrounds and themes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Focal Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Focal Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SwiftRead free?

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

### Is Focal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SwiftRead or Focal?

Focal is rated higher. SwiftRead averages 4.3 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Focal averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do SwiftRead or Focal have ads?

Neither SwiftRead nor Focal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SwiftRead or Focal?

SwiftRead ships an update every 9 days, and Focal every 4 days. Most recently, SwiftRead was updated on November 3, 2026 and Focal on October 31, 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.*