Comparison

Velocity Reader vs Speed Reader

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

Head to head
About

Velocity Reader

This app uses Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) to help you read faster by displaying words one at a time at your chosen pace. It supports EPUB imports, offers adjustable speeds, and tracks your progress. Designed for students, professionals, and avid readers, it works entirely offline.

Highlights
  • Adjustable reading speed (60-1200 WPM)
  • RSVP word display technique
  • EPUB ebook import
  • Offline reading and data storage
  • Progress tracking
  • Multiple font options
  • Light and dark themes
Features
Read full description

Read faster without moving your eyes. Velocity Reader shows one word at a time with the optimal letter highlighted, so you can comfortably read at 300, 500, even 800+ words per minute. READ ANYTHING • EPUB books with real chapters and covers • PDFs, text, Markdown and RTF files • Web articles: paste a link or share from Safari • Pasted text, scanned pages and photos (on-device text recognition) A READER THAT FEELS RIGHT • Optimal recognition point pinned in place, so your eyes stay still • Smart pacing: longer pauses at commas, sentence ends, paragraphs and long words • Gentle ramp-up and rewind to the start of the sentence when you resume • Swipe to skip sentences, pinch to resize, swipe up to see the surrounding text • Hold-to-read mode, chunk mode (1–3 words) and a speed trainer • Your place is saved continuously BUILD THE HABIT • Daily goal ring, streaks and weekly stats • Recap on Apple Intelligence devices: on-device summaries and comprehension quizzes • Home Screen widgets and Shortcuts MADE FOR YOU • Light, dark, sepia and true-black themes • SF Pro, New York, SF Mono and OpenDyslexic fonts • iPhone, iPad and Mac PRIVATE BY DESIGN No accounts, no tracking, no analytics. Your books and reading data never leave your device.

About

Speed Reader

This app uses Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) to display words one at a time, helping you read faster by minimizing eye movement and subvocalization. It supports various file formats and offers customizable settings for an improved reading experience.

Highlights
  • RSVP reading technique
  • Import PDFs, ePubs, web pages, and text files
  • Adjustable reading speed
  • Reading streaks and statistics
  • Chapter navigation
  • Distraction-free interface
  • Customizable display settings
Features
Read full description

Speed Reader transforms the way you read using RSVP, Rapid Serial Visual Presentation, one of the most effective reading techniques ever developed. Instead of scanning lines of text, words appear one at a time in a fixed focal point, eliminating subvocalization and unnecessary eye movement so your brain can absorb information faster than you ever thought possible. Whether you're a student drowning in reading assignments, a professional trying to stay on top of industry news, or a book lover who wants to read more titles in less time — Speed Reader is built for you. WHAT IS RSVP? Most people read at 200-250 words per minute. RSVP readers routinely reach 400, 600, even 800+ WPM with practice. The technique is simple: one word at a time, displayed at the center of your screen. Your eyes stay still. Your brain does the rest. KEY FEATURES - Import PDFs, ePubs, HTTPS web pages, HTML files, plain text - .txt files, md (markdown files) - Adjustable reading speed — start slow and build up at your own pace - Reading streaks / stats - Chapter navigation - Detailed reading stats and progress tracking - Clean, distraction-free reading interface - collapsable navigation - Customizable display settings HOW IT WORKS Import any document or paste any text, set your words-per-minute speed, and press play. Speed Reader does the rest. Start your free 7-day trial with full access to every feature, then unlock the full app for a single one-time payment — no subscription, no recurring fees, ever. PERFECT FOR - Students tackling textbooks and research papers - Professionals keeping up with reports, articles, and emails - Book lovers who want to read their entire reading list - Anyone curious about speed reading who doesn't know where to start Download Speed Reader today and discover what reading at full speed feels like.

Screenshots

Velocity Reader3 screens
Speed Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Velocity Reader at 5.0 against Speed Reader's 4.0. Velocity Reader also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.2). Speed Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 9 months). On price, ratings volume, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Speed Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Velocity Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Velocity Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Velocity Reader ships an update every 9 months, Speed Reader every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Velocity Reader versus Speed Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVelocity ReaderSpeed Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTiggey LLCMatt Humphreys

Customer experience

Velocity Reader

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

Speed Reader

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Velocity Reader

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Speed Reader

One-time1
  • Speed Reader Pro$4.99

Questions

Is Velocity Reader free?
Velocity Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Speed Reader free?
Speed Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Velocity Reader or Speed Reader?
Velocity Reader is rated higher. Velocity Reader averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Speed Reader averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Velocity Reader or Speed Reader have ads?
Neither Velocity Reader nor Speed Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Velocity Reader or Speed Reader?
Velocity Reader ships an update every 9 months, and Speed Reader every 3 months. Most recently, Velocity Reader was updated on November 5, 2026 and Speed Reader on October 31, 2026.

Other comparisons