# ReadBack vs Cresco

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Cresco at 15.1 against ReadBack's 18.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ReadBack sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Cresco sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReadBack ships an update fortnightly, Cresco every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ReadBack | Cresco |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 43 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Trent Guillory](https://appshunter.io/developer/826186488) | [Dion Van Sandijk](https://appshunter.io/developer/1846302079) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### Cresco

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cresco-all-productive-needs/id6754017168)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Full Version Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Yearly Full Version Subscription | $11.99 | per year |
| Full version Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ReadBack free?

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

### Is Cresco free?

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

### Do ReadBack or Cresco have ads?

Neither ReadBack nor Cresco shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ReadBack or Cresco?

ReadBack ships an update fortnightly, and Cresco every 2 weeks. Most recently, ReadBack was updated on October 6, 2026 and Cresco on October 28, 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.*