Comparison

Devour vs Spead

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

Head to head
About

Devour

Features
Read full description

DEVOUR YOUR READING LIST Download free and start speed reading in seconds. Devour uses RSVP (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation) to display words one at a time right where your eyes are focused—so you read 2-3x faster without learning any special technique. Just import, tap play, and devour. HOW IT WORKS Traditional reading wastes time on eye movements. Devour eliminates that by presenting each word at a fixed point with the Optimal Recognition Point highlighted, so your brain processes text faster instantly. IMPORT ANYTHING EPUBs, PDFs, web articles, DOCX, TXT, Markdown, HTML, RTF—if you can read it, Devour can speed-read it. Paste text or extract content from any URL. Your entire reading list in one app. POWERFUL FEATURES Speed Control — Adjust from 100 to 1,000+ words per minute. Start at your comfort zone and gradually increase as your brain adapts. Built-In Speed Test — Discover your baseline reading speed, then see how much faster you read with RSVP technology. Progress Tracking — Resume exactly where you left off. Every document saves your position automatically. Reading Statistics — Track total words read, reading time, average WPM, and daily streaks with beautiful visualizations. Daily Goals & Achievements — Set word count goals, build streaks, and earn milestones as your reading habit grows. Smart Library — Organize with favorites, reading status, and content type filters. Search and find anything instantly. iCloud Sync — Keep your library, reading progress, and statistics synchronized across all your Apple devices. Dark Mode — Automatic system theme matching or manual light/dark selection for comfortable reading anywhere. THE SCIENCE RSVP has been researched for decades as a method to increase reading speed. By presenting words at a fixed focal point with ORP highlighting, your visual system processes text more efficiently. Most readers see significant speed improvements from their very first session. PREMIUM Devour is free to use with ads. Go premium to remove all ads for an uninterrupted reading experience and support independent app development. START READING FASTER Import your first document and feel the difference. That article you bookmarked last week, the novel on your shelf, the PDF report for work—Devour helps you get through it all. Faster. https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Spead

Improve your reading speed and comprehension with this app. It uses proven techniques to train your eyes and brain to process text more efficiently, helping you read more in less time. Track your progress and build real reading skills.

Highlights
  • Improve reading speed and comprehension
  • RSVP (Flashing Mode)
  • Highlight Mode
  • Import custom texts and PDFs
  • Track reading progress (WPM)
  • Offline reading support
Features
Read full description

Spead - Speed Reading App Read faster, in less time. Spead is a modern speed reader app designed to help you improve reading speed while keeping strong comprehension. Whether you're reading articles, PDFs, ebooks, or study material, Spead trains your eyes and brain to read more efficiently so you can finish more in less time. Unlike traditional reading apps or ebook readers, Spead focuses on reading effectively, not just displaying text. Using proven speed reading strategies, the app reduces unnecessary eye movement, improves concentration, and helps you process information faster. Read faster without losing comprehension Most people read slowly because of habits like internal speech and constant backtracking. Spead helps you move beyond these limits by guiding your focus and increasing reading speed gradually, allowing your brain to recognize meaning faster. With consistent training, many users double their reading speed while maintaining or improving reading comprehension. Powerful speed reading modes RSVP (Flashing Mode): words or short phrases appear in one fixed position, minimizing eye movement and improving focus. Highlight Mode: follow a guided highlighter across the page to maintain rhythm and reduce distractions. Track your reading progress Spead is more than a reader. It's a training tool. Measure reading speed (WPM) Track improvement over time See how much time you save As your speed improves, your visual span increases, allowing you to read naturally faster across books, articles, and documents. Designed for modern readers Import your own texts and PDFs Adjustable speed and reading settings Offline reading once texts are added Clean, distraction-free interface Built for students, professionals, and lifelong learners Helpful for users who struggle with focus or dyslexia Whether you want to learn how to read faster, improve study performance, or simply read more in less time, Spead helps you build real reading skills. Reading is a skill and speed comes with training. Start using Spead today and discover a faster way to read. Terms of Use: https://spead.app/agb Privacy Policy: https://spead.app/datenschutz

Screenshots

Devour4 screens
Spead4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Spead at none against Devour's shown. Devour's advantage is iOS requirement (13.4 vs 16.6). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases 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. Devour sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Spead sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Devour ships an update weekly, Spead every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Devour versus Spead: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDevourSpead
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 5 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.4 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB114 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperBrett CassidyBulletpoint GmbH

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Devour

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Yearly$14.991 Year
3 purchases

Spead

Subscriptions3
  • Spead Pro Monthly$6.991 Month
  • Spead Pro Monthly$7.991 Month
  • Spead Pro Yearly2 variants$44.991 Year

Questions

Is Devour free?
Devour is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Spead free?
Spead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Devour or Spead have ads?
Devour shows ads; Spead does not.
Which is updated more often, Devour or Spead?
Devour ships an update weekly, and Spead every 5 days. Most recently, Devour was updated on October 24, 2026 and Spead on October 21, 2026.

Other comparisons