Read vs Timber
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Read
Instantly convert printed text into spoken words using your smartphone camera. Point at any text, and it's read aloud automatically. Translate and listen in different languages, or scan book pages for an audiobook-like experience.
- Auto-read with camera
- Live translation and narration
- Scan and read books
- Import text from images
- Multi-language support
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READ is the simplest way to turn printed text into spoken words — just point your smartphone camera, and the app starts reading automatically. No buttons, no fuss. Whether it’s a book, a sign, a menu, or a handout, READ recognizes text in multiple languages and reads it out loud for you. But the real magic? You can instantly translate and listen to the text in another language of your choice. It’s like having your own personal translator and audiobook narrator in your pocket! Key Features: * Auto-Read with Camera Just point your camera at any text — READ starts reading it aloud without needing to press a single button. * Live Translation & Narration Want to hear the text in a different language? No problem. Choose your target language, and READ will translate and read it out loud in real-time. * Scan & Read Books Scan multiple pages in a row — READ turns them into a seamless listening experience, just like an audiobook. You can listen in the original language or a translated one. * Import Text as Images Got a screenshot or a photo of text? Just share it with READ from your iPhone, and the app will take care of the rest. Affordable and Hassle-Free One-time purchase of just $2 — no subscriptions, no hidden costs. Try before you buy with our free trial. READ is perfect for travelers, language learners, visually impaired users, or anyone who wants a smarter way to access written content. Give it a try and turn your camera into a reader, translator, and storyteller — all in one!
Timber
Transform any text into spoken word with this versatile reader. Listen to articles, books, PDFs, or even printed pages. Offers a wide selection of voices and languages, with a focus on privacy and user experience.
- Text-to-speech conversion
- Reads articles, books, PDFs, and printed pages
- Supports 71 languages and 324 voices
- On-device processing for privacy
- Customizable reading experience
- Personal voice recording
- Export audio
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Timber turns readers into listeners. Anything you want to read, you can listen to instead. Paste a link, drop in a PDF, open a book, or snap a photo of a printed page. Timber pulls out the real text, cleanly, and reads it aloud in a voice you pick. There is a companion desktop app that moves your open browser tabs into your ears. Ever asked your phone to read a page aloud and had it stop halfway, or skip the part that mattered? That is not you missing a setting. Most reader tools are not built to get the whole article. Timber pulls the full text out first, before it ever starts speaking. What you paste is what you hear, start to finish. It was built by a teacher, after watching students struggle to read, who could not find one app that read well, respected privacy, and did not hold the basics hostage. WHAT TIMBER PROMISES • No account. No sign-up. Open it and read. • The core reader is free, and stays free. • What you read is nobody's business. Articles, books and clipboard text are processed on your device. What you read is never shared, sold, or used for ads. VOICES, PROPERLY • 300+ voices across 71 languages, free, spoken entirely on your device. • Every Apple voice on your device works, free, including Enhanced and Premium. • Every voice library includes a free male and female voice in your language. No teaser locked behind a trial. • Record a reference of your own voice and Timber can read in it. Created on device, never uploaded. A READER THAT FEELS LIKE PAPER • Warm parchment design. An open book under a reading lamp, not a tech product. • Every word lights up as it is spoken, and keeps pace whether you slow it right down or push it fast. • Tune the size, the face and the line spacing until it is comfortable. 30 palettes built in, plus a full dyslexia mode. BRING ANYTHING • Paste a link and Timber extracts the article. No ads, no popups, just the text. • Share from Safari or any browser. Import PDFs, EPUB, Word and PowerPoint. Follow RSS feeds. • Point your camera at a printed page and Timber reads it back to you. • Scanned chapters carry junk on every page. Timber spots a line that repeats and silences it across the whole document in one tap. • Browse 70,000+ free public-domain books from Project Gutenberg. • Translate an article on device, or get a quick summary on device. No cloud, no AI account. • Export any article as spoken audio to take with you. • Optional iCloud sync keeps your library on all your devices. FOR CLASSROOMS AND STUDY • Mark passages while you listen, then hand out what you marked as a worksheet. • MLA and APA citations built in. • A chapter becomes a lesson in the time it takes to listen to it. TIMBER PRO (optional, subscribe or pay once) The free reader is complete. Pro unlocks the full neural voice catalog beyond each library's free pair, the whole speed range, every palette, and ongoing personal-voice listening after the free 24-hour trial. Monthly, yearly, or lifetime. The trial simply lapses. It never auto-charges. Privacy Policy: https://timberreader.com/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Timber was made for the kid in the back row who hears a story better than they can read it, and for everyone whose eyes are tired, busy, or somewhere else. If that is you, welcome.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Timber at 4.7 against Read's 1.0. Timber also leads on ratings volume (3 vs 1). Read's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Read sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Timber sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Timber holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively.
| Parameter | Read | Timber |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.0 (1 ratings) | 4.7 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 3 — better |
| Update frequency | — | Every 5 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 112 MB | 287 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Voenix Technologies Inc. | Truth in the Machine LLC |
In-app purchases
Read
- One time purchase$1.99
Timber
- Timber Pro Monthly$5.991 Month
- Timber Pro Yearly$39.991 Year
- Your Own Voice$14.99
- Timber Pro Lifetime$99.99









