# Sponge Audiobooks vs Tempo

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sponge Audiobooks at none against Tempo's 2. Sponge Audiobooks also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). Tempo's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs monthly). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tempo sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Sponge Audiobooks asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Sponge Audiobooks against 5.0 for Tempo. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

Sponge Audiobooks ships an update monthly, Tempo every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sponge Audiobooks | Tempo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sponge-audiobooks/id6755274146/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tempo-focus-reader/id6779071880/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 8 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Expeditionary Logic](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852905845) | [Josh Hoffman](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822360954) |

## What reviewers say

### Sponge Audiobooks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sponge-audiobooks/id6755274146)

Listen to audiobooks directly on your Apple Watch without needing your iPhone. Supports offline playback and connects to various audiobook sources like Librivox and Audiobookshelf. Ideal for children to enjoy stories independently.

**Highlights:** Play audiobooks directly on Apple Watch, No iPhone required, Offline playback via downloads, Supports Librivox and Audiobookshelf, Sync progress to Audiobookshelf, Designed for Apple Watch For Your Kids

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


### Tempo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tempo-focus-reader/id6779071880)

This app presents text one word at a time, helping you maintain focus and progress through reading material. It offers adjustable pacing, rewind capabilities, and a distraction-free reading environment. Save your content locally and track your reading habits.

**Highlights:** RSVP reading mode, Adjustable reading pace (WPM), Pause, rewind, and review text, Import text and supported files, Local reading library, Reading progress tracking, Customizable themes and typography

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Reading | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sponge Audiobooks free?

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

### Is Tempo free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sponge Audiobooks or Tempo?

Sponge Audiobooks and Tempo are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Sponge Audiobooks or Tempo have ads?

Neither Sponge Audiobooks nor Tempo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sponge Audiobooks or Tempo?

Sponge Audiobooks ships an update monthly, and Tempo every 10 days. Most recently, Sponge Audiobooks was updated on October 13, 2026 and Tempo on October 14, 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.*