Comparison

Compress vs SimplyRead

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

Head to head
About

Compress

Easily reduce video file sizes on your iPhone or iPad. This app also generates SRT caption files using on-device transcription and offers translation into 23 languages, all while keeping your data private.

Highlights
  • Video compression
  • Batch compression (up to 10 videos)
  • Customizable compression settings
  • On-device SRT caption generation
  • Offline transcription
  • SRT translation (23 languages)
  • Privacy-focused
Features
Read full description

Compress-san is the easiest way to compress videos on your iPhone or iPad. Just select a video from your photo library, and queue up your video for compression. Select up to 10 videos for compression at once and add them to the queue. In the application settings, you can choose your desired compression settings, compressing video to sizes as low as low quality 480p. Compress-san also will use local on-device transcription models to create caption SRT files for your videos. Create subtitle text files locally and privately, with no audio or video leaving your device for creation of the SRTs. After an SRT is generated, you can also translate it into 23 different languages using local translation services. Compress-san is the simple and private way to cut your video sizes and create SRT subtitle transcription text files.

About

SimplyRead

Transform any text file into an audiobook using natural-sounding voices. Organize your library with folders, import files, and edit text directly within the app. Securely back up your collection with iCloud.

Highlights
  • Text-to-audiobook conversion
  • Natural voice reading
  • Adjustable speech rate
  • Integrated book search and download
  • Smart library with folders
  • Built-in text editor
  • iCloud Drive backup
Features
Read full description

A book you can read — and listen to. SimplyRead opens your TXT, EPUB and Markdown files as real books, with covers, chapters and a page worth reading, then reads them aloud in natural iOS voices whenever you would rather listen. READ - A reading page set in a proper serif, with five paper themes that follow your phone's Light or Dark mode - Page by page, or one continuous scroll — whichever you prefer - Chapters found automatically, including Chinese numeral titles, with a panel to jump anywhere in the book - Bookmarks, find-in-book with highlighted matches, and a Continue Reading card that puts you back where you stopped - Every mark and label scales with your text size LISTEN - High-quality iOS system voices, at a speed you set - The sentence being spoken is highlighted, and the page follows along - Sleep timer, plus Lock Screen, Control Center and CarPlay controls — keep listening with the screen off BUILD YOUR LIBRARY - Import from the Files app, create a file straight from your clipboard, or download from a URL and watch it arrive - Built-in search to find and download books directly to your shelf - Folders to keep a long shelf tidy EDIT AND KEEP - A built-in editor with Find & Replace and a Fix New Lines tool for text files that arrived badly wrapped - iCloud Drive backup and restore for the whole library, reading positions included FREE AND PRO Your own files, the entire reader, themes, chapters, bookmarks and backup are unlimited and free. Pro lifts the daily listening allowance and the download limit.

Screenshots

Compress4 screens
SimplyRead4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: SimplyRead at 5.0 against Compress's 4.2. SimplyRead also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). Compress's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (5 vs 1). On price, update cadence, 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. SimplyRead sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Compress asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SimplyRead holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Compress has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 6, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Compress versus SimplyRead: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCompressSimplyRead
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (5 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better1
Update frequencyWeeklyWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB141 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCameron Banga阳 张

Customer experience

Compress

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

SimplyRead

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

In-app purchases

None

Compress

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

SimplyRead

One-time1
  • Pro User$0.99

Questions

Is Compress free?
Compress is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SimplyRead free?
SimplyRead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Compress or SimplyRead?
SimplyRead is rated higher. Compress averages 4.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while SimplyRead averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Compress or SimplyRead have ads?
Neither Compress nor SimplyRead shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Compress or SimplyRead?
Compress ships an update weekly, and SimplyRead weekly. Most recently, Compress was updated on September 6, 2026 and SimplyRead on September 15, 2026.

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