# ReadBack vs Emend

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Emend at none against ReadBack's 7. Emend also leads on update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ReadBack sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Emend asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReadBack ships an update fortnightly, Emend weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ReadBack | Emend |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 43 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Trent Guillory](https://appshunter.io/developer/826186488) | [Sunlit Game Studio LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6782197842) |

## 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 |


### Emend

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emend-structure-your-novel/id6814041183)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ReadBack free?

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

### Is Emend free?

Emend is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do ReadBack or Emend have ads?

Neither ReadBack nor Emend shows ads.

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

ReadBack ships an update fortnightly, and Emend weekly. Most recently, ReadBack was updated on October 6, 2026 and Emend on October 17, 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.*