# Read Aloud vs ReadBack

The clearest difference is update cadence: ReadBack at fortnightly against Read Aloud's every 5 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Read Aloud sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and ReadBack sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Read Aloud ships an update every 5 months, ReadBack fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and July 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Read Aloud | ReadBack |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readback-text-to-speech/id6747597136/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **10** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 16 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [APPSURGE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473427573) | [Trent Guillory](https://appshunter.io/developer/826186488) |

## What reviewers say

### Read Aloud

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-aloud-speech/id6742852983)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Read Aloud Premium | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Read Aloud Premium | $14.99 | per month |
| Read Aloud Premium | $89.99 | per year |


### ReadBack

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readback-text-to-speech/id6747597136)

This application converts documents like PDFs and Word files into natural-sounding speech. It's designed for users who need to listen to written content, offering lifelike voices and background playback for multitasking. Your files are processed and stored locally for enhanced privacy.

**Highlights:** Reads documents aloud (PDF, Word, EPUB), Lifelike, comfortable voices, Background playback for multitasking, Unlimited audio replays, Local file processing for privacy, Pay-as-you-go credits or subscriptions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ReadBack Plus | $4.99 | per month |
| ReadBack Pro | $9.99 | per month |
| ReadBack Plus | $47.99 | per year |
| ReadBack Pro | $95.99 | per year |
| 1 Hour Credit | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5 Hour Credit | $4.49 | one-time |
| 10 Hour Credit | $7.49 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Read Aloud free?

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

### Is ReadBack free?

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

### Do Read Aloud or ReadBack have ads?

Neither Read Aloud nor ReadBack shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Read Aloud or ReadBack?

Read Aloud ships an update every 5 months, and ReadBack fortnightly. Most recently, Read Aloud was updated on September 9, 2026 and ReadBack on July 4, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*