Comparison

PDF Reader vs Readium

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PDF Reader

Transform PDF documents into natural-sounding audio. Listen to reports, academic papers, or any text while on the go, exercising, or multitasking. Enjoy customizable voices and a distraction-free interface to maximize your reading time.

Highlights
  • PDF to audio conversion
  • Local text-to-speech with natural voices
  • Customizable voice selection
  • Playback controls
  • English language with accent options
  • Distraction-free interface
Features
Read full description

Turn your PDFs into audio and reclaim your reading time! Converts any PDF document into clear, natural-sounding audio, letting you absorb content while commuting, exercising, or doing household tasks. Key Features: PDF to Audio Conversion Conversion history Local text-to-speech conversion with natural voices Customizable voice selection Simple, intuitive controls for playback English language support with multiple accent options Clean, distraction-free interface Perfect for: Students tackling heavy reading loads Professionals staying up-to-date with reports and documents Anyone who wants to maximize their time by turning reading into listening People who prefer audio learning Making documents more accessible Whether you're catching up on work documents during your commute or turning academic papers into your personal audiobook, ReadMe helps you make the most of your time. Simply select a PDF, choose your preferred voice and speaking rate, and let ReadMe handle the rest. Download ReadMe today and transform how you consume written content. Your next PDF is just a listen away!

About

Readium

Transform any text document, PDF, or web article into a natural-sounding audiobook. Follow along with highlighted words in real-time for improved focus and recall. Offers lifelike AI voices and offline playback for a private, distraction-free reading experience.

Highlights
  • Text-to-speech audiobook conversion
  • Real-time word highlighting
  • Lifelike AI and offline voices
  • Distraction-free reader with themes
  • Background playback with lockscreen controls
  • Supports EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and web articles
  • Adjustable playback speed
Features
Read full description

Turn any book, PDF, or web article into a natural-sounding audiobook — and follow every word as it's read aloud. Lifelike voices, online or offline. Read faster, remember more. Readium reads your books, PDFs, articles, and documents out loud with beautiful, human-sounding voices — while highlighting each word in real time so your eyes and ears work together. It's the calm, private way to get through your reading list. WHY READIUM • Listen and follow along — real-time word highlighting keeps you focused and boosts recall • Lifelike AI voices plus built-in device voices that work fully offline • Beautiful, distraction-free reader — 4 themes (Light, Dark, Slate, Sepia) and reading fonts • Background playback with lockscreen media controls showing the book title and author • Adjustable speed, sentence skip, and a sleep-friendly experience • Thousands of classic books from Project Gutenberg — one tap to add to your library • Optimized for iPhone and iPad, including split-view multitasking IMPORT ANYTHING • EPUB, PDF, MOBI, AZW3, and FictionBook (FB2) • Plain text, Markdown, and HTML files • Web articles — browse to any page inside Readium and add it with a tap • Share sheet — send a link from Safari or any other app straight to your library • Rename titles and edit authors to keep your library tidy HOW IT WORKS 1. Import a book, PDF, or paste a web link 2. Pick a voice — a lifelike AI voice or a device voice that works offline 3. Press play and follow the highlighted words VOICES IN YOUR LANGUAGE English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and Bangla — with more on the way. Preview any voice before you pick. GREAT FOR Commuters and multitaskers. Students and researchers. Readers with dyslexia, ADHD, or low vision. Anyone who wants a beautiful, listen-along reading experience. Reading, but faster — and finally enjoyable. Download Readium and start listening.

Screenshots

PDF Reader3 screens
Readium4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Readium at none against PDF Reader's 1. Readium also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (4 vs 1). On price, rating, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. PDF Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Readium asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for PDF Reader against 5.0 for Readium. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 4 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF Reader ships an update every 3 weeks, Readium weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
PDF Reader versus Readium: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF ReaderReadium
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings14 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.116.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB109 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperMorgan ZellersRaquib Ul Alam

Customer experience

PDF Reader

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Readium

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

PDF Reader

One-time1
  • Lifetime$4.99
None

Readium

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PDF Reader free?
PDF Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Readium free?
Readium is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PDF Reader or Readium?
PDF Reader and Readium are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 4 ratings respectively.
Do PDF Reader or Readium have ads?
Neither PDF Reader nor Readium shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF Reader or Readium?
PDF Reader ships an update every 3 weeks, and Readium weekly. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on October 30, 2026 and Readium on October 31, 2026.

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