Comparison

Readfast vs Pressly Speed Reader

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

Head to head
About

Readfast

Features
Read full description

Readfast helps you read faster without sacrificing comprehension. It uses RSVP (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation) technology to eliminate wasted eye movement by showing one word at a time, centred on your natural focal point. This lets you focus fully on the text and absorb information significantly faster than traditional reading. Most people start around 250 words per minute. With Readfast, reaching 600–750 WPM is realistic with regular use. How it works β€’ Upload or paste any text β€’ Hit play β€’ Words are displayed one at a time, guided by the Optimal Recognition Point (ORP) β€’ Adjust speed at any time and train your brain to read faster over time No skimming. No distractions. Just focused reading. What you can read β€’ Articles from the web β€’ Blog posts, newsletters, and long-form content β€’ PDFs, DOCX, EPUB, TXT files β€’ Notes, papers, and research If you can copy it or upload it, you can read it in Readfast. Key features β€’ Proven RSVP speed-reading technology β€’ ORP highlighting to guide eye focus β€’ Adjustable reading speed β€’ Clean, distraction-free reader β€’ Progress tracking to see your improvement β€’ Works great for studying, research, and daily reading Who it’s for β€’ Students who read a lot β€’ Professionals buried in documents β€’ Anyone trying to stay informed without spending hours reading β€’ People who want to build a real speed-reading habit, not just skim Readfast requires a pro subscription to access features. We include a 3 day free trial in our annual plan. We promise its worth it. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Pressly Speed Reader

Read full description

Most speed reading apps give you a play button. Pressly gives you control. Pressly uses RSVP-style reading β€” one word at a time, fixed to a single focus point β€” so your eyes never move and your focus never breaks. But speed is not the goal. Comprehension is. BUILT AROUND MEANING, NOT JUST MOTION Text inside double quotation marks automatically italicizes during reading. Dialogue shifts. Quoted phrases stand apart. Spoken words separate from narration. You feel the change in tone without losing your place β€” a detail no other speed reader has. Smart pauses at punctuation and extra time for longer words give each sentence the rhythm it was written with. Optional context words keep surrounding text visible. ORP alignment anchors each word at its natural recognition point. When the same word appears back-to-back, it grows progressively β€” a subtle visual signal that keeps comprehension engaged at speed. YOU ARE ALWAYS IN CONTROL Hold to read. Release to pause. Lock playback with two fingers for hands-free reading. Tap forward or back to move word by word. Tap the top area to step back. Set your WPM, tune your pauses, choose a theme, adjust your font β€” then read. Tap the current word while reading to instantly look it up in your device's dictionary β€” without losing your place. YOUR FILES, YOUR LIBRARY Pressly is a reading tool, not an ebook store. Import your EPUB, PDF, and TXT files, or paste notes, articles, drafts, and copied text directly. Everything stays on your device. No account. No cloud. No subscription to a catalog. A built-in sample book is included β€” start reading immediately, no import needed. FEATURES β€’ RSVP word display with ORP alignment β€’ Automatic italic styling for dialogue and quoted text β€’ Progressive visual emphasis on consecutive repeated words β€’ Toggleable linked flashes for hyphens and em dashes β€’ Smart pauses for punctuation and long words β€’ Optional context words around the current word β€’ Hold-to-read with two-finger playback lock β€’ Word-by-word tap navigation β€’ Tap the current word to look it up in your device's dictionary β€’ EPUB, PDF, and TXT import β€’ Paste any text as a readable book β€’ Chapter-aware reading progress β€’ Light and dark themes β€’ Font style and weight options β€’ Volume-button navigation β€’ Fully on-device β€” no account, no cloud, no ads Pressly is made for readers who want more than autoplay. Read with pace. Stay with the meaning. Keep going.

Screenshots

Readfast4 screens
Pressly Speed Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Readfast at none against Pressly Speed Reader's shown. On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Readfast sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days and Pressly Speed Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
Readfast versus Pressly Speed Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReadfastPressly Speed Reader
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyβ€”Every 6 weeks
AdsNo β€” betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 β€” better16.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size49 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJack MitchellBill Ryan Cabral

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Readfast

Subscriptions2
  • Readfast Weekly subscription$6.997 Days
  • Readfast Yearly subscription3 Days trial$29.991 Year
1 purchases

Pressly Speed Reader

One-time1
  • Pressly Pro$3.99

Questions

Is Readfast free?
Readfast is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pressly Speed Reader free?
Pressly Speed Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Readfast or Pressly Speed Reader have ads?
Pressly Speed Reader shows ads; Readfast does not.

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