Comparison

FocalRead vs Flash Reader FR

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

Head to head
About

FocalRead

Boost your reading speed with this app that uses RSVP to display words one at a time. Import various document types and web articles to finish content in a fraction of the time. Organize your library, track progress, and customize your reading experience.

Highlights
  • Speed reading with RSVP
  • Import PDF, EPUB, MOBI, TXT, DOCX, AZW3
  • Read web articles
  • Organize content in a library
  • Track reading progress
  • Customizable reading speed and font
Features
Read full description

Stop wasting time reading slowly. FocalRead is a speed reading app and a full eBook + document reader. Import your files or articles from the web and save them to your Library, and read them with RSVP (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation) to finish books, documents and web content in a fraction of the time. Supports PDF, EPUB, MOBI, TXT, DOCX, and AZW3 files (non-DRM only). THE PROBLEM WITH TRADITIONAL READING When you read normally, your eyes constantly move across lines, jump between words, and sometimes go back to re-read. That eye movement wastes time and causes fatigue. The average person reads around 200 WPM, but you can go much faster with the right technique. HOW FOCALREAD WORKS FocalRead displays one word at a time in a fixed position. Your eyes stay focused on a single point while words flow to you. No scanning. No constant eye movement. Just focused reading. Normal reading: ~200 WPM With FocalRead: 300 to 600+ WPM Advanced readers: up to 900 WPM That’s up to 3x faster than traditional reading. REAL TIME SAVINGS A typical 90,000-word book takes 7.5 hours at normal speed. At 600 WPM, you can finish in about 2.5 hours. That’s 5 hours saved on a single book. IMPORT AND READ YOUR FILES Use FocalRead as your daily reader. Import and keep everything inside the app: PDF documents EPUB eBooks* MOBI books* TXT files DOCX documents AZW3 files* *only if they are not DRM-protected You can also paste text from anywhere or read articles from the web. A READER BUILT FOR ORGANIZATION Save all books and documents to your Library Rename and organize your content Track progress and pick up where you left off Chapter navigation for EPUB books Reading history and sessions CUSTOMIZE YOUR READING EXPERIENCE Adjust speed from 100 to 1000+ WPM Choose standard, lowercase, or UPPERCASE text Select your preferred font style Smooth progress tracking while you read PERFECT FOR Students reading textbooks and study materials Professionals reviewing reports and documents Book lovers who want to read more Anyone who wants more learning in less time Start reading faster today with FocalRead. Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Flash Reader FR

Enhance reading speed and comprehension using Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP). Import documents, paste text, or fetch articles from the web. Customize reading experience with adjustable speeds, themes, and breaks.

Highlights
  • RSVP speed reading
  • Import EPUB, PDF, DOCX, and web articles
  • Adjustable speed up to 1500 WPM
  • Safe Ramp mode for gradual speed increase
  • Full-text view alongside RSVP
  • Customizable themes and blink breaks
  • Reading statistics and history tracking
Features
Read full description

Read faster with RSVP speed reading. Flash Reader FR uses Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) to display words one at a time, eliminating eye movement and helping you read up to 3x faster without losing comprehension. IMPORT YOUR WAY Bring in content from EPUB, PDF, and Word (DOCX) documents, paste text directly, or fetch articles from any web URL. Large imports run in the background with progress tracking, so the app never freezes while you wait. READ YOUR WAY - Adjustable speed up to 1500 words per minute - Safe Ramp mode eases you into a session at a comfortable pace instead of jumping straight to full speed - Full-text view lets you read your document as normal scrollable text alongside RSVP mode, with your current position highlighted - Dark, Light, Sepia, and Night themes for comfortable reading in any lighting - Customizable blink breaks to reduce eye strain during long sessions STAY ORGANIZED - Multi-select and bulk delete documents from your library - Rename documents right from your library - Bookmark your place and search within any document - Track your reading stats, streaks, and history over time CHOOSE YOUR PLAN Flash Reader FR is free to start. Upgrade to Premium for full EPUB, PDF, and DOCX import, URL import, 1500 WPM speed, premium themes, blink break customization, and full statistics. Premium is available as a Monthly subscription, a Yearly subscription, or a one-time Lifetime purchase, whatever fits how you read. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

FocalRead4 screens
Flash Reader FR4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Flash Reader FR at 5.0 against FocalRead's 4.6. Flash Reader FR also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 8 days). FocalRead's advantage is ratings volume (98 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. FocalRead sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days and Flash Reader FR sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Flash Reader FR holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FocalRead has 98 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FocalRead ships an update every 8 days, Flash Reader FR every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
FocalRead versus Flash Reader FR: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocalReadFlash Reader FR
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (98 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings98 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size103 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperANDRES FELIPE SARRAZOLA VELEZOTTO GUTIERREZ

Customer experience

FocalRead

All ratings98 ratings
Positive90.8%
Neutral2.0%
Negative7.1%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral6.7%
Negative26.7%

Flash Reader FR

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

In-app purchases

9 purchases

FocalRead

Subscriptions9
  • Pro Version (Weekly)$6.997 Days
  • Unlimited Weekly$6.997 Days
  • Unlimited Monthly$9.991 Month
Show 6 more
  • Unlimited Monthly$12.991 Month
  • Unlimited Annual3 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Unlimited Annual Plan3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Unlimited Annual3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Pro Version (Annual)3 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Unlimited Annual Plan3 Days trial$39.991 Year
3 purchases

Flash Reader FR

Subscriptions2
  • FocusReader Premium Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • FocusReader Premium Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Flash Reader FR$49.99

Questions

Is FocalRead free?
FocalRead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Flash Reader FR free?
Flash Reader FR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, FocalRead or Flash Reader FR?
Flash Reader FR is rated higher. FocalRead averages 4.6 out of 5 from 98 ratings, while Flash Reader FR averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do FocalRead or Flash Reader FR have ads?
Neither FocalRead nor Flash Reader FR shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FocalRead or Flash Reader FR?
FocalRead ships an update every 8 days, and Flash Reader FR every 2 days. Most recently, FocalRead was updated on October 31, 2026 and Flash Reader FR on October 31, 2026.

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