Pace Reader vs Speed Reading
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pace Reader
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Pace Reader: Read with focus, clarity, and control Pace Reader helps you read with intention by presenting text one word at a time, guiding your attention and reducing distractions. Whether you’re tackling PDFs, articles, or curated reading lists, Pace Reader turns reading into a focused, calm, and efficient experience. Read one word at a time At the heart of Pace Reader is a focused reading drill that displays text word by word at your chosen pace. This approach helps minimize mind-wandering, improve comprehension, and reduce visual overload, especially helpful for long or dense material. Control your pace Adjust your reading speed in words per minute to match your comfort level. Pause, rewind, or jump back by a set number of words at any time. Pace Reader adapts to you, not the other way around. Upload and read PDFs Bring your own reading material into the app by uploading PDFs. Pace Reader automatically prepares your documents so you can read them using the same focused, word-by-word experience. Keep a list of reads Maintain a personal library of PDFs and reading sessions. Switch between different reads easily and pick up exactly where you left off, no need to remember your place. Prune your library as needed Stay organized by removing PDFs you no longer need. Keep your reading list clean, relevant, and focused on what matters right now. Designed for calm and concentration Pace Reader features a clean, dark interface designed to reduce visual noise and keep your attention on the text. Subtle cues and minimal controls ensure the reading experience stays distraction-free.
Speed Reading
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Read more in less time. Rive uses RSVP (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation) to show you one word at a time at a pace you choose—so you stay focused, reduce subvocalization, and build real speed-reading habits. READ ANYTHING • Start instantly with eight classic books built in: Moby Dick, The Great Gatsby, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Treasure Island, A Tale of Two Cities, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Ulysses, and Wuthering Heights • Paste any text—articles, notes, chapters—and start reading in seconds • Import from the web: paste a URL and Rive fetches and extracts the main article text • Share from Safari, Notes, or any app: use the Share sheet and choose Rive to add it to your library (Free includes the eight classics plus your first few imports; Rive Pro unlocks unlimited imports—see below.) SMART RSVP READER • One word at a time, with the optimal recognition point (ORP) highlighted so your eyes land in the right place • Adjust speed from 150 to 900 words per minute with a simple slider—find the pace that fits you • Jump back or forward 10 words anytime; play and pause with one tap • Progress is saved automatically. Pick up exactly where you left off, across all your items TRAIN YOUR SPEED • Find Your Speed — Gradually increases pace so you discover your comfortable reading speed (free) • Two more guided modes—Build Speed and Comfort & Focus—are included with Rive Pro (see below) TRACK YOUR PROGRESS • See total words read, total time read, and your average WPM • Filter stats by today, this week, this month, or all time • Yearly streak calendar shows every day you read or trained—build a habit that sticks RIVE PRO Upgrade to unlock everything: • Unlimited imports — save articles, books, and pasted text without limit • All training modes — Build Speed and Comfort & Focus, alongside Find Your Speed • Reading insights — trend charts for words read, reading speed, and training progress over time (7, 30, and 90-day views) • Support an independent developer building Rive Rive Pro is available as a monthly or yearly auto-renewing subscription, or a one-time lifetime purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and can be managed or cancelled anytime in your App Store account settings. DESIGNED TO STAY OUT OF THE WAY • Clean, minimal reader so you focus on the words • Optional accent themes (e.g. blue, green) for the interface and reading highlight • Light and dark mode support Rive is built for anyone who wants to read more without spending more time—whether you're catching up on articles, revisiting classics, or training yourself to read faster and with better focus. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.jamesbtlr.com/rsvp/privacy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pace Reader at none against Speed Reading's 3. Pace Reader also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (13.4 vs 17.6). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Speed Reading sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Pace Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.
Pace Reader ships an update every 9 days, Speed Reading every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Pace Reader | Speed Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 13.4 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | PastelPlanet Inc. | James Butler |
In-app purchases
Pace Reader
No in-app purchases
Speed Reading
- Rive Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
- Rive Pro Yearly$14.991 Year
- Rive Pro Lifetime$24.99









