# Reading Tool vs Recorder by Xi

The clearest difference is price: Reading Tool at Free against Recorder by Xi's $0.99. Reading Tool also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months). Recorder by Xi's advantage is iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Reading Tool is free to download; Recorder by Xi costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Reading Tool ships an update every 5 days, Recorder by Xi every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reading Tool | Recorder by Xi |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 3 months |
| Size | 4 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CreationAct (Shanghai) Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1770311812) | [鉴 郗](https://appshunter.io/developer/559961494) |

## What reviewers say

### Reading Tool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-tool/id6753701748)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Recorder by Xi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/recorder-by-xi-voice-record/id6757415213)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reading Tool free?

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

### Is Recorder by Xi free?

Recorder by Xi costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Reading Tool or Recorder by Xi have ads?

Neither Reading Tool nor Recorder by Xi shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Reading Tool or Recorder by Xi?

Reading Tool ships an update every 5 days, and Recorder by Xi every 3 months. Most recently, Reading Tool was updated on October 28, 2026 and Recorder by Xi on October 25, 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.*